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Senior center warns Meals on Wheels faces shortfall as state funding drops
Summary
Parker County senior‑service leaders told commissioners the Meals on Wheels program expects to serve about 63,000 meals next year but COG reimbursements cover only 30,542 meals; the center asked the court to increase county support (requested up to $45,000 gross) and warned it may need a waiting list without extra funds.
The Parker County Senior Center told the commissioners court on Aug. 20 that a cut in reimbursements from the North Central Texas Council of Governments will leave the county’s Meals on Wheels program with a substantial funding gap for 2024–25. The center’s representative said the program projects about 63,000 home‑delivered meals next year but the COG’s budget will cover only 30,542 of those meals.
“The cost of food and packaging has tripled and demand has grown,” the senior center representative said, urging the court to consider increasing county support. She asked the court to raise the county contribution to a gross total of $45,000, which would include a $7,323 COG match that must be flowed through the county.
Tammy Gazzola, speaking as a family member of program clients, described the social as well as nutritional benefits of daily deliveries: “The relief that a homebound senior feels when they know that they're getting a meal every single day…that personal interaction is so huge,” she said.
Commissioners discussed prior approvals and existing balances. One commissioner noted the court had approved roughly $37,007.23 at a previous session and that staff were seeking ways to prioritize limited funds across many requests. The court did not make a final, additional county appropriation at the Aug. 20 meeting but moved $14,554 from a Weatherford Public Library line into the Meals on Wheels program to help cover near‑term needs.
Next steps: commissioners said they would continue to examine the budget and consider additional transfers or prioritization before finalizing the 2024–25 budget.
