Title VI - Elderly Program

The YST Title VI/Elderly Nutrition program provides nutritious meals 5 days a week ( Monday through Friday).  Currently we home deliver 176 meals. 

Shawn Zephier- Director
Theresa Hambelton- Assistant Cook/Driver
Clement Zephier, Sr. - Assistant Cook/Driver
Thomasine Castaway - Assistant Cook/ Driver

Shawn L. Zephier
Yankton Sioux Tribe
Title VI/Elderly Nutrition Director
Ph. 605-384-5766
Cell: 605-469-6904 (c)

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Title VI elderly nutrition services provide an opportunity for tribal elders to access healthy meals, nutrition screening and education, and provide a social outlet for elders to meet with their friends, learn and remain engaged in their community.

Title VI nutrition program shall:

1.         Provide at least one hot or other appropriate meal per day, 5 or more days a week (except in rural areas where such frequency is not feasible) and any additional meals that the grantee may elect to provide in a congregate setting;

2.         Provide at least one home delivered hot, cold, dried, canned or supplemental foods (with satisfactory storage life) meal per day and any additional meals that the grantee may elect to provide;

3.         May include nutrition education services and other appropriate nutrition services;

4.         Solicit the advice of a dietitian or individual with comparable expertise in planning nutritional services; and

5.         Ensure that the program:

a.          Provides meals that

                  I.                  Comply with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for American (DGAs) published by DHHS and USDA;

                  II.                  Provide each participating older individual a minimum of 33 1/3% of the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) if the program one meal per day,

                  III.                  To the maximum extent practicable, are adjusted to meet special dietary needs of program participants,

b.          Provides flexibility in designing meals that are appealing to participants;

c.          Limits the amount of time meals spend in transit before they are consumed;

d.         Where feasible encourages joint arrangements with school to promote intergenerational meal programs;

e.          Provides that meals, other than in-home meals are provided as close to the majority of eligible older individuals’ residence as feasible;

f.            Complies with applicable state or local laws regarding the safe and sanitary handling of food, equipment, and supplies used in storage, preparation, service, and delivery of meals;

g.          Solicits the expertise of dieticians, meal participants and others knowledgeable about the needs of older individuals;

h.         Establishes procedures that allow the option to offer a meal to individuals providing volunteer services during the meal hours, and to individuals with disabilities whore side at home with elders eligible under this law;

i.             Ensures that nutrition services will be available to elders and their spouses, and may be made available to individuals with disabilities who are not elders but who reside in housing facilities occupied primarily by older by older individuals at which congregate nutrition services are provided;

j.             Provides nutrition screening, education and counseling; and

k.          Encourages distributing available medical information approved by health care providers, such as how to get vaccinations for influenza, pneumonia, and shingles, to homebound elders.