Contributions by Eligible Elders

(1) Opportunity to Contribute. Each Nutrition Project shall: (a) give each Eligible Elder who participates in the Program information about the cost of providing the Congregate or Home Delivered Meal; (b) give each Eligible Elder who participates in the Program an opportunity to contribute to part or all of the cost of the Congregate or Home Delivered Meal provided; (c) tell each Eligible Elder who participates in the Program that he or she may decide freely whether or not to contribute; (d) avoid the appearance of pressure to contribute; (e) protect the privacy of each Eligible Elder with respect to his or her contribution; (f) have appropriate procedures in effect to safeguard and account for all participant contributions; (g) use all contributions to increase the number of meals served under the Program. (2) Failure to Contribute. No Nutrition Project shall deny an Eligible Elder a Congregate or Home Delivered Meal because that person fails to contribute. (3) Collection and Protection of (a) D.E.A. may specify general standards for the collection of contributions for Program participants in its agreements with each Nutrition Project. (b) Each Nutrition Project shall deposit participant contributions in a bank as often as the amounts warrant, but no less than weekly. Each Nutrition Project shall insure that proper safeguards are employed to protect cash pending deposit and personnel handling cash.