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North Star Council on Aging reports steady Meals on Wheels volume and a wait list; federal funding uncertainty remains a concern
Summary
North Star Council on Aging told commissioners it served approximately 54,000 meals in the current fiscal year and maintains a wait list; the program described supply and funding pressures and said federal Older Americans Act funding uncertainty could affect services.
Darlene Suplee of the North Star Council on Aging told the Health & Social Services Commission on March 15 that Meals on Wheels remains a high-demand service in the borough, delivering about 350 meals per day and projected to provide roughly 54,000 meals in fiscal year 2025. She said last year the program provided 59,748 meals and served 454 individuals.
Suplee described survey results showing high client satisfaction: 100% of respondents rated meals as acceptable or excellent and 99% said the service supports aging in place. She said average per-meal costs range from about $3.50 to $5 depending on protein, and that a portion of the program relies on partner donations and in-kind support.
Commissioners asked about the program's wait list and the impact of potential federal funding cuts. Suplee said priorities for moving people off the wait list are based on Activities of Daily Living (ADL) needs and other risk factors; she said community donations had allowed the council to remove roughly 25 people from a prior wait list in November. She noted that federal-level changes to Older Americans Act funding could have a substantial statewide impact and urged continued local advocacy.
Suplee also said the council recently expanded facility capacity and received an emergency generator to ensure continuity of food preparation during a disaster. The council is using grant support to hire a full-time home assessor to evaluate wait-listed clients' home-care needs, with the goal of better documenting needs and seeking additional funding.
Ending The council will continue operating its Meals on Wheels routes and will work with borough staff on grant award details if funding is approved through the borough grant process.
