Iowa Cafe

The Iowa Café is a new, innovative partnership between Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging and licensed food service establishments like restaurants, food trucks, cafés, convenience stores, and grocery stores with hot and cold food options.  The Program’s primary goal is to encourage socialization among older Iowans by offering nutritious food options in local establishments otherwise unreachable by traditional NEI3A meal services.

NOTICE:  In order to continue offering this immensely popular program with existing funding, the following changes are in effect on October 1, 2022:

• All new registration is paused until at least January 1, 2023.  We encourage you to complete a registration form as we will contact you when enrollment reopens, but we will issue no new cards until 2023.
• Maximum monthly meals are reduced from 12 to 6. 
• Cards may only be swiped at a participant’s “home base” location; we are no longer able to offer service across multiple sites for one participant

Participant Eligibility

Iowa residents 60 years of age or older, or a spouse of an eligible individual, regardless of age, are eligible to participate in the Iowa Café program. Meals are provided on a voluntary contribution basis, and individuals will be asked to contribute towards the cost of the meal. 

How to Participate

Register by filling out The Iowa Café Registration Form. Once the registration is processed, you will receive a key card in the mail. You can choose to use your card at one of the participating restaurants. Each restaurant will offer a unique Iowa Café menu from which you may choose one meal to redeem with your card. Participants will receive up to 6 meals per month, depending on need, and may use their key cards once daily.