Cart to Cupboard is a project of the Isanti County Commission on Aging (ICCOA), a non-profit organization that has served older adults and their families throughout Isanti County for over 30 years. The ICCOA offers a variety of other supportive services, including:
noon-time senior dining in Cambridge, Isanti and Braham;
For more information on ICCOA and SACS in Cambridge, click here to visit their web site.
Our mission is simple: To develop and sustain an affordable rural delivery system that enables older and disabled adults in Isanti County to live independently in their home of choice for as long as possible.
Did you know...?
In light of these statistics, the ICCOA saw a clear need for outreach throughout the county to ensure all individuals could access essential services regardless of their age, mobility, or income. After studying other home delivery services in Minnesota, the ICCOA felt it would be beneficial to pursue a similar project in Isanti County. They contacted each of Isanti County's 13 townships, asking them for their opinion on the number of older adults with "limited mobility" that could benefit from a low-cost home delivery service. Of the 13 townships, ten reported back to ICCOA, estimating 104 residents could benefit. The Cart to Cupboard program was started in late 2008 and began working to establish a viable link between the townships, their residents, and the delivery project.
While Cart to Cupboard was initially conceived as a grocery delivery service, we expanded our service offerings during our first year of operation based upon feedback from our first customers and the community. We now offer affordable delivery of groceries, frozen prepared meals, medical equipment (including prescriptions!), library and postal materials, hardware, and pet supplies. We also offer services including housekeeping, light chores, and friendly conversation. This ICCOA initiative strives to enable independent living and improve area seniors' quality of life.
Cart to Cupboard currently provides bundled services to approximately 45 older and disabled adults living throughout Isanti County. In researching keys to success, one factor is evident: The influence of word-of-mouth outreach and community support. We look forward to your feedback and support of our mission! If you have any questions about what we do, know of someone who could benefit from our services, or are in need of services that we might not offer, please contact us. We will make every effort to connect you to the resources you need.
See our video to learn more about us from people directly connected to our program.
Why is independent living important? Most individuals would prefer to remain in their own homes and communities as they age. In addition to the personal preference of remaining at home, moving to a care facility, whether a nursing home or assisted living residence, is prohibitively expensive for many individuals. In Minnesota, assisted living costs average $32,574 per year. A private room in a nursing home averages $72,453 annually--$198 per day (source: AARP). As of 2004, annual public expenditures on nursing home costs in Isanti County alone were $5.3 million. These are costs to government and local taxpayers on top of what seniors and their families spend. Additionally, even for those who can afford to move, there are often few available options and waiting lists for those that do exist. Supportive home-and community based programs like Cart to Cupboard save money while maximizing comfort, safety, happiness, and dignity for those who desire to remain in their own homes.
