Encore Café Changes Due to COVID-19

Update: Effective November 20, 2020, Encore Café will change to a voucher program. Here is what you need to know:

Voucher Program

Reservations are required to receive vouchers. Call (319) 398-2585 to make your reservation. The vouchers…

  • Are good for a meal & beverage, up to $8.00 value at Marion Hy-Vee or Johnson Avenue Hy-Vee Drug Store

    • Refrigerated Meals at Johnson Ave. Drug Store 7:00 am – 10:00pm daily

    • Hot or refrigerated meals at Marion Hy-Vee 6:00am – 8:00 pm daily. Curbside service available until 7:00pm - call 377-4803 and ask for Hickory House at least two hours in advance.

  • May be redeemed on your behalf by another individual, if you can’t personally go to store

  • Up to three (3) vouchers per day may be redeemed

  • Should be treated as cash, and stored in a safe place, as they cannot be replaced if lost/stolen

  • Expire 1 month after issuance

If you have questions, please call 319-398-2585

Update: Effective Sept 24, 2020, the meal pickup location in Marion on Thursdays will change to the Marion Hy-Vee store located at 3600 US 151. Here is a link to the new location on Google Maps. The distribution will be held in the small parking lot on the west side of the building between the store and 35th St. All other operations, including the reservation policy, will remain the same.

This change is being made to accommodate construction plans at the current location. We’re thankful to the City of Marion for letting us use that space for the last six months and look forward to serving you at our new location starting Thursday, Sept. 24.

Update: Effective July 21, 2020, Hy-Vee in Marion will begin providing meals at Encore Café food distributions. This Hy-Vee location is the same provider at all Encore Café locations during normal congregate dining style operations. The meal packages will include three containers, but with larger portion sizes than the previous five-meal packages. The meals will be accompanied by a piece of whole fruit or a 4 ounce salad, which will vary week-to-week.

Original Release

Older adults in the Cedar Rapids area have a new option for finding meals while senior centers are closed during the coronavirus pandemic. Encore Café – the award-winning pop-up café for older adults – will transition to offering frozen meal pickups starting next week.

Heritage Area Agency on Aging and partner organizations Horizons and HACAP are teaming up to fill the gap created by the mandatory closure of senior centers and congregate dining programs across the state. The Encore Café meal pickups will take place twice per week and provide each eligible seniors (adults ages 60 and older) with five frozen meals produced at Horizons.

Shelf-stable food boxes provided by HACAP will also be available at the meal pickups.

The program starts March 24, 2020, and will run until normal Encore Café operations can resume. The pickup details are:

  • Tuesdays at St Marks UMC, 4700 Johnson Ave NW. Participants should enter via Johnson Ave.

  • Thursdays at Marion Public Library’s vacant lot across 11th St. Participants should enter via 11th St.

  • Pickup times are assigned by the first letter of the participant’s last name and will be confirmed when the reservation is made

Reservations are required by 1:00 p.m. the day prior to pickup to ensure enough meals are available. Reservations can be made online here or by calling Becky Briggs at (319) 398-2585.

Upon arrival at the pickup locations, Heritage staff will confirm the reservation and place meals in the driver’s car to minimize physical interaction.

Harrison March