“Everyone who knows me knows that I love to feed people,” said Ambria Hill, the Food Services Administrator for Henry County Senior Services. She is proud of the number of people she and her staff feed weekly, both in person at Henry County’s multiple senior centers and through the Meals on Wheels meal delivery service.
Ensuring local senior citizens receive the nutrition they need is an important task. According to the 2024 Senior Report by the United Health Foundation, Georgia ranks among the bottom 24% of states in terms of overall health for older adults. Around 13% of Georgia adults over the age of 60 experience food insecurity. However, the report also stated there is evidence that “home-delivered and congregate meal services can reduce malnutrition in older adults living independently.”
That is Hill’s mission. She and her staff deliver 250 hot plates of food through Meals on Wheels each week, and feed hundreds more at the county’s four senior center locations in Hampton, Locust Grove, McDonough and Stockbridge. However, Hill states that feeding people is much more than just putting a full plate in their hands.
“Our goal is nourishment, but we want them to get a taste of good home cooking, too. We support their health, but we also want to bring them happiness. Everyone needs and wants a sense of community, and that is also a big part of what our meals provide.”
On weekdays, each senior center serves breakfast from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. for $3. Lunch service times vary by day and location, but dine-in and carry-out options are available for $4. Menus rotate every three months and feature a wide variety of home-cooked recipes, including beef tips with gravy, chicken marsala, and blackened fish. Four vegetables are offered daily, and there’s a soup-and-sandwich option for those with smaller appetites.
Senior center membership is open to those age 55+, and information is available online at www.henrycountyga.gov. However, Hill invites community members to come by for lunch, regardless of membership status. “We serve county employees, neighbors who live near the centers, just anyone in the community,” said Hill, who is excited about a new class she’s offering at the senior centers next year. At “Farm to Table: 55-Plus,” Hill will provide cooking demonstrations and share recipes. “I love to cook and want to encourage others to gain a love of cooking for themselves,” she said. “You have to love what you do when you work with the community. And I love what I do!”
By Kari Apted