On November 8, 2016 and March 16, 2017, a lot of things changed for one of America’s most successful welfare programs – Meals on Wheels.
The first event last year was the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. Presidency. Before and after he was elected, the conservative chief executive said he would review discretionary spending levels for Fiscal Year 2018, and beef up defense spending significantly.
The second event in March made the promise a dramatic, if tentative, reality. The Trump administration’s first budget proposal called for elimination of a number of federal discretionary programs, including Meals on Wheels, and recommended significantly higher spending for national defense.
Congress has not yet addressed the budget proposals. It will be at least summer before local Meals on Wheels agencies know for sure what will happen. But local officials are worried, and planning accordingly.
Meals on Wheels services are provided directly to seniors by a nationwide network of about 5,000 local community-run programs that receive 35% of their funding from the federal government. The rest comes from the states or local fund-raising efforts. At Meals on Wheels America, their philosophy is simple – they support their senior neighbors to live healthier and more nourished lives in their own homes.
There is no Meals on Wheels agency located directly in the Village of Huntley. The community, including Sun City, is served with home-delivered meals by the Salvation Army’s Golden Diners in Geneva, in Kane County. Huntley also receives indirect Meals on Wheels services from the Elgin office of Senior Services Associates Inc., an umbrella agency that refers some of its clients to the Geneva Golden Diners.
The Sun Day spoke with the Golden Diners and the Elgin Senior Services spokesperson, and reviewed the Meals on Wheels America website.
Ken Madden, director of the Geneva Golden Diners, said he is concerned about the proposed federal spending cuts, but he has been pleasantly surprised by a development in Illinois.
“We received an increase in funding support recently from of all places the State of Illinois,” he said. “That is helping us this fiscal year. We provide about 30 meals daily to clients in Huntley, a few of which are located in Sun City. We receive 35% of our funding from federal sources when the budget is fully funded, and right now, we are receiving another one-third of our revenue from the state. We get additional funds from fund-raisers. But we depend mostly on federal funding, and if the proposed budget cuts are approved, we will be hit hard.”
Leslie Edmonds, director of marketing and fund development for the Elgin Senior Services Associates, echoed Madden’s statements.
“We contract with the Northeastern Illinois Agency on Aging to provide a variety of services to seniors in Kane, McHenry, and Kendall counties,” she said. “We also receive grants from several sources, and do our own fund-raising. Just last week, he held a dinner and silent auction at Villa Olivia, and we often do fashion shows. We have also cut back some of our staff recently.
“Huntley is not a major source of Meals on Wheels clients for us,” she added. “We serve a total of 828 clients in the 60142 zip code area, which includes most of Huntley. We connect people to various kinds of aid and support. Specific agencies, such as Meals on Wheels, actually deliver the services to the clients.”
Shortly after the Trump administration’s budget proposals were revealed in March, Meals on Wheels America said on its website that “Meals on Wheels America and local Meals on Wheels programs are seeing an uptick in giving, but this does not replace federal funding.”
It is difficult to imagine a scenario under which the next federal budget would not have an impact on Meals on Wheels services.
Jenny Bertolette, spokesperson for MW America, said details about the Older Americans Act, the actual source of federal funds through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, have not yet been released.
“We do fear that the millions of seniors who rely on us every day for a nutritious meal, safety check, and a visit from a volunteer, will be left behind.”
She added that online donations have surged since the White House budget announcement.
“A few days after the President’s blueprint became public, a total of $50,000 was received by our national network. But even so, these donations do not replace federal funding.”
1 Comment
Most everyone is in favor of reducing spending however very few of us are in favor of cutting programs we champion. thus the dilemma!