Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Meals On Wheels Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Meals on Wheels warns federal and regional funding at risk; program serves thousands locally
Summary
Meals on Wheels Montgomery told commissioners it may face cuts to hot-meal funding from the Central Alabama Aging Consortium and to RSVP AmeriCorps funding, which could endanger staff positions tied to the volunteer program; the organization said 69% of its budget comes from donations and fundraising.
Meals on Wheels Montgomery told the county commission that two streams of government funding are uncertain and could affect operations and staff if reductions occur.
"One is our hot meal funding. A significant portion of our hot meals are provided through a government funded program, through Central Alabama Aging Consortium," Chris Turman, CEO of Meals on Wheels Montgomery, told commissioners. He said the organization is monitoring changes that could affect the number of hot meals the agency can provide.
Turman also said the organization's RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program), an AmeriCorps-funded initiative that the agency sponsors, is at risk. "If we lose that program, we will lose five employees that are funded through that program," Turman said.
Turman told commissioners Meals on Wheels will reach a milestone this summer of 5 million meals served since the organization opened and described ongoing fundraising: "69% of our budget comes through donations and funding and fundraising events such as the caper and the breakfast and the golf tournament."
He also thanked county commissioners for earlier assistance creating a new frozen-meal pickup site in the Snowdoun area and invited commissioners to upcoming fundraising events.
Commissioners did not take formal action on the funding concerns, but staff and the agency said they would keep the commission informed if funding changes occur.
