ROCK SPRINGS – A $11,500 grant from the United Way of Southwest Wyoming will allow Young at Heart Senior Center in Rock Springs operate its special diets program provide meals to those who are unable to receive the regular home-delivered meals due to dietary restrictions.

 “Without the support of the United Way, special diets meals would be limited to those who are willing to pay $8 per meal for the service,”Daphne Palmer, the meals coordinator for the program said.

The program aligns with the organization’s basic needs initiative to provide services supporting independent living for people and families. The program provided meals to 20 people with special dietary needs, which include cardiac diets, diabetic diets and diets for people with allergies. The United Way funding pays the difference in the costs of a special diet meal and a normal home-delivered meal. A special diet meal costs the senior center $8, while a meal made at the center costs $5.

The special diet meals are made at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County and delivered throughout Rock Springs, with frozen meals available to those living outside that service area. According to the senior center, keeping the costs of special diet meals in line with its regular meals makes them affordable, which results in a client being more apt to continue receiving meals tailored to their dietary needs.

Additionally, the United Way funds help pay for a delivery driver as the special diets route runs throughout Rock Springs and has stops in Reliance, requiring a paid driver to deliver the meals in a timely manner.