Homage Senior Services deploys 630-meal van for Snohomish County seniors

630 meals per week is the new capacity for Homage Senior Services, a figure that translates to roughly 36,000 meals delivered annually to clients across Snohomish County. The organization in Everett introduced a larger Meals on Wheels van on November 4, 2026, to handle the demands of winter driving and growing client needs.

The shift to the new vehicle addresses specific logistical hurdles faced by drivers in rural areas. Standard vehicles often struggled with long, unpaved driveways, steep inclines, and icy conditions. Wayne Rose, a delivery driver, noted that the upgraded vehicle drives higher, offering better visibility and preventing the undercarriage from scraping on curbs. "It does give more access," Rose said. "It drives higher, so you have better visibility, it doesn’t scrape on the curbs."

The van serves a wide geographic area, including the rural communities of Gold Bar, Monroe, Sultan, Startup, Stanwood, and Tulalip. It also covers South Snohomish County cities such as Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Brier, and Bothell. Erica Polney, a registered dietitian at Homage, stated that the new vehicle relieves the stress of the program, allowing for expanded nutritional support.

The timing of the upgrade coincides with a reported rise in older adults choosing to age in place. Polney cited financial pressures and a lack of community support as factors driving this trend. She recounted a recent client who could not eat even two meals a day without the service. "That need is certainly growing," Polney said.

Each standard delivery provides a full week of food. This package includes seven easy-to-heat, nutritionally balanced meals, along with milk, bread, and fresh produce. Polney works with clients to tailor these meals to specialized medical requirements for conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, and heart disease. The program also includes pet food assistance when supplies are available to support the emotional well-being of isolated seniors.

For many residents, the weekly delivery is their primary interaction with the outside world. Rose described the visit as a crucial wellness check. "Sometimes we are the only person they see in a week," he said. The new van was funded by the Hazel Miller Foundation, a nonprofit based in Edmonds that supports programs addressing poverty and hunger in the region.

Homage Senior Services has operated in Snohomish County for 52 years. The organization currently serves more than 20,000 individuals annually through integrated food and nutrition, health and wellness, minor home repair, social services, and specialized transportation.