The National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging is hosted by Meals on Wheels America as part of a cooperative 

agreement with the Administration for Community Living (ACL).

IDEAS TO CREATE A WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE FOR CONGREGATE 

NUTRITION PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

On the March 10th, 2020 webinar Make Your Mark: Enhance Hospitality, we 

posed the question, “In what ways does your organization create a welcoming 

atmosphere for your congregate nutrition program participants?” We had 

many great responses from your peers, so we put all those ideas in one place 

for you.

• Greet clients as they walk into the center, celebrate client’s

birthdays. Volunteers cater to clients by serving them at their 

tables.

• Greet and sign in participants, decorate tables and dining area, 

trivia and game times, sing happy birthday and recognize wedding

anniversaries.

• Cherokee Nation Nutrition Centers we decorate all seasons and 

holidays, plays bingo, make birthday cakes once a month for our 

elders.

• Smile and greet them by name ask them how they are, Birthday 

parties, Monthly Evening dinners, with entertainment, 

centerpieces, great menu, door prizes and entertainment. Doing 

surveys.

• We decorate our center for highlighted holidays and have a special

meal for that holiday. We have a tree up all year and decorate it for 

each holiday.

• We are in a rural county (Highlands) and have renovated a congregate 

meal site and branded it as a "farmhouse kitchen".

• At our center we focus on theme days. We focus on holidays we greet 

people we celebrate birthdays we offer alternate meals. 

• We have had staff work as wait staff wearing black and white which is 
The National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging is hosted by Meals on Wheels America as part of a cooperative 

agreement with the Administration for Community Living (ACL).

coordinated with black and white linens/tablecloths.

• We do our three major holiday meals a week before the holiday at our 

events center with cloth tablecloths, waitresses and more upscale menu. 

Participants love this.

• We have a volunteer who makes our centerpieces, and she spends a lot 

of time doing that. We switch them out every few weeks, and they are 

beautiful.

• I try to make new people feel welcome by putting them with someone 

that I know would be a good mentor for them. Many people feel 

uncomfortable coming by themselves.

• I go onto the internet and find word finds, crossword puzzles and other 

fun activities for people to read, and then I make them into placemats.

• Breakfast ideas.... especially in the morning when they feel alone.

• We do salad bar every day. We also have Lunching with Friends once a

month. 

• Always decorate for holidays. Acknowledge birthdays with a special 

dinner.

• Staff makes it a point to welcome each participant as they come in. 

• Special meals for fun days example "Beach Party Lunch".

• Halloween Costume contest during lunch.

• On Tuesdays we have person come in and introduce a new dish to our 

participants with nutritional information. An added enhancement to our 

Tuesday meals. 

• Partner with a farm gleaning program.

• We do a pickup of fresh/fruit veg after our weekly farmer markets.

• We create a welcoming atmosphere by offering salad bar every 

Wednesday with bible study for congregate dinning.

• Matching table clothes and greeter and centerpieces w/ floral 
The National Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging is hosted by Meals on Wheels America as part of a cooperative 

agreement with the Administration for Community Living (ACL).

arrangements and play relaxing music to create spa oasis.

• We decorate monthly the saloon.

• We have soup and salad option beside the regular lunches.