April 26, 2017
Meals on Wheels organizations across the U.S. will find out in May whether proposed funding cuts that reduce federal dollars to MOW programs are included in the White House’s final 2018 budget plan.
In March, the Trump Administration released its budget blueprint, which called for the elimination of a number of federal programs, including the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). Many Meals on Wheels programs rely on CSBG and CDBG money to deliver nutritious food, safety checks, and friendly visits to our most vulnerable seniors.
At the same time, the blueprint did not give any details about funding for the Older Americans Act (OAA), a primary source of federal dollars for senior nutrition programs. OAA accounts for, on average, 35% of total funding for Meals on Wheels programs nationally. Details about OAA will be included in the administration’s final budget plan.
“I think it shows an incredible lack of understanding at the highest levels of government at how effective Meals on Wheels is,” says Adam Hauser, President & CEO of MOWCTX. “We hope the White House and Congress will come to realize that programs like ours save taxpayers money, and that millions of homebound older adults depend on our life-sustaining services.”
If you believe federal funding for Meals on Wheels programs should not be reduced, we ask you to contact your U.S Representative and both U.S. Senators from Texas. To find out who represents you in Congress, as well as contact information, please go to www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/