Planning and Preparedness
With proper planning, nutrition service providers can help alleviate the impact of weather events, natural disasters, and other emergencies that may affect their community. Planning in advance can make sure your program continues to provide services in any situation.
Quick Guides
- Emergency Preparedness for the Aging Services Network — Tips and links to resources
for community-based organizations (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center) - Assembling Food Safety Emergency Supply Kits Poster— Poster that highlights key
supplies to include in emergency kits that impact food service operations (USDA, 2022)
Guides
- Guide for Menu Planning — Guide for developing shelf-stable meals and grocery boxes (Iowa Department on Aging)
- Managing Older Americans Act Funded Senior Nutrition Programs During Emergencies — Frequently asked questions to help programs plan for and adapt to common emergencies (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2021)
- Emergency Playbook for Federal Human Services Programs— Lessons learned and recommendations for responding to emergencies and disasters (HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluations)
- Emergency Preparedness 101— Basic guide on what to do before, during, and after disasters (National Council on Aging, 2025)
Tools & Toolkits
- Emergency Preparedness Blueprint — Resource guide (Kentucky Department of Aging and Independent Living, the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger, Georgia Department of Aging Services, and University of Kentucky Human Development Institute)
- Capacity-Building Toolkit for including Aging & Disability Networks in Emergency Planning— Preparedness planning resource (HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response)
- Emergency Preparedness Video Series— Courses on emergency preparedness and response (Kentucky Department of Aging and Independent Living, the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger, Georgia Department of Aging Services, and University of Kentucky Human Development Institute, 2023)
- Emergency Preparedness Checklist— Checklist for participants to help prepare for disasters (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center)
- Business Preparedness Toolkits— Toolkits to help businesses prepare for earthquakes, hurricanes, and more (Ready.gov)
- Emergency Preparedness and Response — Collection of training to help you prepare for and respond to emergencies (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center)
- Free Preparedness Publications— Catalog of resources (FEMA)
- Emergency Preparedness for Older Adults— Information on preparing for a disaster (American Red Cross)
Presentations
- Emergency Preparedness (YouTube)— Seven-minute Network Spotlight on preparing to respond to emergencies in Kentucky (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2022)
- Disaster Preparedness With the American Red Cross — Slide deck on Red Cross Services available to help increase preparedness (Nutrition and Aging Resource Center, 2019)