Belgrade senior center warns possible loss of Older Americans funding; board debates membership rules and summer programming

Belgrade — Staff at the Belgrade Senior Center told the advisory board at a regular meeting that continued uncertainty about federal Older Americans Act funding has put roughly $100,000 a year of the center’s budget at risk, and prompted a review of membership rules, program charges and fundraising plans.

Lisa, the center manager, said the center receives a monthly federal payment of $7,226 that supports Meals on Wheels, congregate meals and fitness classes, plus “cash in lieu” and commodities. "Between cash in lieu, our 7,000 plus payment a month, and commodities, that's about a hundred thousand dollars that's in our budget from that federal funding," she said. She told the board the state of Montana temporarily supplemented March funding but that the federal allocation remains uncertain while the Older Americans program awaits action at the federal budget level.

The potential loss matters because the center uses the federal dollars to pay for food, some staff time and other program costs. Lisa said commodities (food distributed from a state or federal warehouse) account for a modest share of that funding—about 6%—and that if the Older Americans funding is not renewed the center would need to rely more heavily on state remedies, local fundraising and reserves. "If this goes away … we would lose a hundred thousand dollars," she said.

Nut graf: The board discussed short- and medium-term steps to protect services that depend on that funding — chiefly Meals on Wheels and congregate nutrition — while weighing membership changes and written rules for outside groups that use the…