The Pawhuska Senior Housing complex is where the Title VI building is located, on the Osage Nation campus in Pawhuska. Osage News
Homebound elders in Pawhuska and Hominy are receiving their lunches from volunteers this week, ever since the Osage Nation Elder Nutrition program had two employees abruptly quit and another is out due to surgery.
The program, also known as Title VI, is requesting volunteer help for daily meal deliveries, according to an email sent to all Osage Nation government employees on Monday, Sept. 27. If available, those interested in volunteering are to call Sue Slinkard, Title VI director, at (918) 287-5452.
“Today, Amy Dobbins is delivering meals for us,” Slinkard said over the phone. Dobbins, who is from Hominy, works in the ON Human Resources department as a Recruitment Specialist. “Today she took 54 lunches.”
Slinkard said two jobs are currently listed on the Nation’s website and are open for applicants. The two positions listed are for an Elder Nutrition Project Foods Supervisor and an Elder Nutrition Center Coordinator.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, elders in Hominy and Pawhuska could eat lunch in-person at the Title VI center located on the Osage Nation campus in Pawhuska. But due to COVID-19 precautions, Title VI is only providing carry-out meals and homebound meals with curbside pickup, according to their website.
She said elders living in Fairfax are still receiving their meals because they have their own Title VI center. Hominy does not have its own center.
The Elder Nutrition program provides services to the senior citizens of the Osage reservation and service area that are “low income, frail and impaired elderly, the geographically and socially isolated, and the non-English speaking,” according to their website.
The following qualifications are in place for the Osage Nation Elder Program:
– Native Americans over the age of 55 – you and your spouse shall pay a suggested donation for $2.00 per meal.
– Those under the age of 55 years, or Non-Native American shall pay the price of $6.00 per meal. This includes any employee that does not meet the qualifications of the program.
For more information about the ON Elder Nutrition program or to volunteer, call (918) 287-5452.
By
Shannon Shaw Duty
Original Publish Date: 2021-09-27 00:00:00