By Ashley M. Casey

Staff Writer

North Area Meals on Wheels’ annual pasta night March 23 was packed with families and volunteers, young and old, community leaders and average residents. There was such a large turnout, NAMOW Program Director Jennifer Covert said, that there was a meatball shortage.

But if a proposed 18 percent cut to the Department of Health and Human Services is approved with next year’s federal budget, many Meals on Wheels organizations across the county could be short more than meatballs.

“[President Donald] Trump’s proposed budget cut is going to affect all the Meals on Wheels differently, and it will definitely be a little bit stressful. We’ll have to fundraise more,” Covert said.

NAMOW’s pasta night is usually not a huge fundraiser, but this year’s dinner coincided with March for Meals Week. The annual campaign celebrates the anniversary of a 1972 amendment to the Older Americans Act of 1965, which established a nutrition program for senior citizens. March for Meals also raises awareness and funds for MOW programs.

According to NPR, the federal government provides about one-third of MOW funding across the nation. Funding from local governments and donations from other organizations or individuals make up the rest.

Covert said it is too early to tell how possible budget cuts could affect local MOW organizations, but she has been reassuring both her clients and volunteers that NAMOW will come out all right.

“Clients have called after hearing about the budget cuts, worried that they’re not going to get fed, that they’re going to lose their Meals on Wheels,” she said, adding that several of NAMOW’s 250 volunteers have expressed concern as well. “We need to assure them that we’re going to keep taking care of them.”

Donna Metz, director of Baldwinsville Meals on Wheels, said she has reassured her volunteers as well. Metz is maintaining an optimistic attitude toward the federal budget.

“Our volunteers are worried they will not see their friends they made. I told [them] not to worry,” Metz said. “[Whatever] President Trump decides, we hope it will not impact us.”

Metz said she has not seen a change in donations since the news of Trump’s budget proposal broke, but B’ville MOW is fortunate to have ongoing support in the community.

“We are very fortunate, especially with some of the wonderful donations we have received lately,” Metz said.

Recently, G&C Foods in Van Buren presented B’ville MOW with a $10,000 check.

“We hope to receive more donations to help our clients because of the increased need in our community we serve,” Metz said.

Keeping an eye on vulnerable populations

Homebound and disabled residents as well as seniors make up the client base of many MOW organizations. Metz said her 102 clients receive more than food from the organization.

“Our volunteers are more than just a driver — they are a friend to our clients,” Metz said. “They sit with them, go to the grocery store, shovel snow, take them to appointments. They even saved a few lives.”

Covert said even a brief daily interaction with a delivery volunteer is beneficial to a MOW client. Also, volunteers can check on residents’ well-being and keep an eye out for safety hazards and needed repairs to a client’s home.

“Sometimes they don’t have any family or any support at all, and if you take that away from them, their life cycle could end a lot sooner than normal,” Covert said. “A happy person typically lives longer. They’re happier when we take care of them, and we need to take care of our seniors.”

While cutting health and human services funding could save money in the short term, Covert said defunding programs for the elderly has long-term financial consequences.

“The biggest thing that people don’t realize is that if seniors don’t stay in their homes and stay independent, they’re going to go into assisted living and hospitals and that is going to cost everybody more money,” she said.

Because no solid numbers have been revealed yet, the federal budget is a wait-and-see situation

“Personally, NAMOW [is] going to be OK, but hopefully it won’t get passed,” Covert said. “No one’s going to not get fed.”

As for what people can do to help, Covert encouraged residents to sign petitions and contact their legislators to show their support for MOW and other programs.

“I had a client who called and said Meals on Wheels saved his life,” Covert said. “You want to take away that program? Doesn’t make any sense.”