This week the announcement, and subsequent confusion and uncertainty, around what programs will be affected by the temporary freeze on all Federal Grants and Loans through Executive Order of the Trump Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has left many of wondering about the impact on our program here in Wake County.
This is an evolving story, but it underscores the need for all stakeholders of senior nutrition programs to protect and defend Meals on Wheels and Congregate Meals programs for our seniors.
Meals on Wheels of Wake County is committed to providing our services through this uncertainty, and we are pushing for quick resolution on the status of approved funding for this year.
What’s going on?
On Monday January 27th 2025, the White House issued an internal memorandum through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to freeze all Federal Grants and Loans.
On Wednesday January 29th 2025, the OMB rescinded the memo that ordered the freeze. However, later that day, the White House Press Secretary stated that the “President’s EO on federal funding will remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.”
Meals on Wheels of Wake County receives 50% of our operating budget from the federal government through the Older Americans Act. A freeze on these funds would be catastrophic to our program.
Here’s a couple of critical points to consider:
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Meals on Wheels (MOW) and senior nutrition programs have long enjoyed bi-partisan and bi-cameral support and the Older Americans Act which funds our meals and services continues to have broad support in Congress.
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MOW is not a direct benefit program to individuals like SNAP, Social Security, Medicare, etc. The provision of services is provided across the country by community-based nonprofits like Wake MOW.
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Funding from the federal government is a prime example of public/private partnership at their best. For Wake MOW, only half our funding derives from federal grants and the remaining comes from philanthropy. Not to be understated, MOW depends on volunteers to deliver food, which increases our capacity significantly while adding value to our clients' lives with a friendly knock at the door.
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Before this latest freeze, Wake MOW and other MOW programs were underfunded. In fact, Wake MOW is tapping into our reserves to maintain meal services and just this year we anticipate a deficit of $500,000 for meal cost alone. To prevent any pullback from services, we need to increase funding and not diminish it. This required both government and private support as well.
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Lastly, investing in senior nutrition is not just the right thing to do, but it’s a smart move financially – it saves money. Some studies suggest that for every government dollar spent on nutrition for seniors, we save $9 in the cost of hospitalization, primary care visits, and days in skilled nursing. For the cost of one day of hospitalization, Wake MOW can provide a senior with a year of our meals.
What can you do?
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First, stay active as a volunteer, donor, and community advocate.
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Over the next few weeks this latest uncertainty will settle- the larger issue is ensuring the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act in this Congress so that we can stave off budget cuts to our programs. It’s essential that we do both.
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At the right time, we will call upon you. But if you want to make a difference and send a message – donate to Meals on Wheels of Wake County today to help us close the gap on meals.
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And- it never hurts to tell your elected officials (local/state/federal) that Meals on Wheels programs need their support.