ADRIAN — October marks a new chapter for the Lenawee Department on Aging in how meals are prepared and distributed for older adults through the home-delivered meal program and the congregate meal sites.
In the past, the Department on Aging operated four kitchens to provide meals for seven senior centers. Over the last decade, equipment challenges and building changes reduced that number to just two kitchens, located in Hudson and Adrian. In 2009, then-director Tom MacNaughton and the board adapted the Adrian Senior Center kitchen to include a walk-in cooler and freezer. However, as demand for meals continued to grow, the space could no longer keep up. Despite ongoing adaptations, the aging equipment and confined workspace raised concerns about safety and efficiency.
County administration and Department on Aging leadership began exploring solutions to address three main issues: outdated equipment and electrical systems, insufficient food storage, and processes that posed a risk of workforce injury. These challenges grew as demand for home-delivered meals, congregate meals, and newer curbside meal options steadily increased.
After careful planning and collaboration, a new centralized kitchen has been built at the Maurice Spear Campus. This facility features modern equipment, more workspace, and improved processes. All meals will now be prepared in this one location, dedicated solely to food production. The seven senior centers will continue to serve as gathering places for older adults to enjoy meals together. With the exception of the Adrian home-delivered routes, meals will still be distributed from local senior centers by community volunteers. Deliveries previously leaving from the Adrian Senior Center will now be picked up at the Central Kitchen.
This new kitchen was built as part of the Maurice Spear Campus expansion. The shared space allows two county programs to operate independently under one roof, reducing facility costs while strengthening support for two of Lenawee County’s most vulnerable populations.
This centralized kitchen represents more than a new building — it marks the beginning of a safer, more efficient process for preparing and distributing meals to older adults across Lenawee County. By updating the way meals are made and delivered, the Department on Aging can continue meeting today’s needs while being prepared for tomorrow’s growth.
Cari Rebottaro is director of the Lenawee County Department on Aging.
