Appleway Court’s Silver Cafe is the latest Meals on Wheels option in senior dining

There is a new location for seniors in need of a hot lunch during the week in Spokane Valley.

The Appleway Court Retirement Center, 221 S. Farr Road, has been open for about five months and Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels has been serving residents and neighborhood seniors lunches for about three months.

Now called the Silver Cafe, senior meals are popping up in more locations. GSC Meals on Wheels Executive Director Pam Almeida said there will soon be 15 locations throughout Spokane County. Anyone 60 or older can get a meal for a $3.50 donation and socialize with other seniors.

“We have really good food,” Almeida said.

The Silver Cafes now offer a choice of two entrees for clients. At a recent lunch at Appleway Court, seniors could choose between Swiss steak or clam chowder and a sandwich.

The Meals on Wheels program has been changing over the last few months. After Valley Meals on Wheels received the contract from Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington last November to provide meals to seniors throughout Spokane County, it has been operating under the larger umbrella of GSC Meals on Wheels. It now includes Valley Meals on Wheels, Lilac City Meals on Wheels, South County Meals on Wheels, which is still under development, Deer Park Meals on Wheels, Cheney Meals on Wheels and the Silver Cafes. It is funded through the Older Americans Act, a federal program, as well as donations from cities and private donors.

GSC has also received a $50,000 grant from Walmart which Almeida said will be used to open a stand-alone Silver Cafe that will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. The group is still looking for a location for that cafe, but Almeida expects it to open within the year.

In August, GSC provided about 22,000 meals through home delivery and its Silver Cafes.

“It’s just burgeoning,” Almeida said.

At Appleway Court, Almeida said, seniors who aren’t residents are also welcome. Guests who don’t live in the building can enter the side door which leads to the common area for meals – the front door requires a security code to enter.

“We do invite the general public to come join us,” she said.

Bob Krieg, 75, and Bob Lee, 78, recently enjoyed lunch at the Appleway Court Silver Cafe.

The two said they have been coming for lunch almost every day since the cafe opened.

“It’s very good,” Lee said. “The service is excellent, the meals are good and nutritious and hot.”

Almeida said the group will open senior meals in a new location soon at Clare House on the South Hill.

“I’m always looking (for new locations),” she said.