Courtesy of mealonwheelsamerica.org
President Trump recently proposed a “skinny budget” to Congress outlining major cuts to 62 different agencies and programs, including those that fund local projects across the country.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development, which houses the Community Development Block Grant program, is included in the departments cut. The CDBG supplies communities with funds to suffice their developmental needs. The national organization “Meals on Wheels” has the potential to be severely impacted should the Trump administration cut the CDBG.
Meals on Wheels provides hot, delivered meals to 2.4 million seniors in communities across the United States each year. Meals on Wheels is not a federal program, but rather a large collection of individual programs that are responsible for seeking out their own funding.
The Lafayette County Meals on Wheels program provides meals to seniors and individuals who are confined to their homes in the county. Three Rivers Planning and Development District is responsible for funding Meals on Wheels in Lafayette County.
Three Rivers PDD is a private, non-profit organization that supports many programs under the jurisdiction of different state and federal agencies. Meals on Wheels falls under the nutrition program of the Three Rivers Area Agency on Aging. The AAA is accountable for administering Older Americans Act Programs, Social Services Block Grant Programs and other grants to provide social and nutritional resources to aging individuals.
Steve Hardin, community services division director at the Mississippi Community Development Authority, said there would be no impact on the Lafayette County Meals on Wheels program should Trump’s proposed cut take place.
“The State of Mississippi does not provide any funding for public services such as Meals on Wheels, etc.,” Hardin said. “Therefore, there would be no impact from any potential CDBG reductions.”
Three Rivers PDD, however, does receive federal funding. Because of this, the amount of funding Meals on Wheels receives from Three Rivers PDD could be impacted.
United Way of Oxford and Lafayette County, a local group that partners with other organizations to support improved health, education or income, also contributes some funding to Three Rivers PDD for Meals on Wheels.
Cleveland Joseph, Area Agency on Aging director at Three Three Rivers PDD, said the organization is partially funded by the federal government, local dollars, state dollars and United Way dollars.
“We are 80 percent funded by the federal government. Fifteen percent is from local dollars, and 5 percent from state dollars and United Way dollars,” Joseph said. “Through a small block grant, we receive funding from the federal government.”
Meals on Wheels of Lafayette County could not be reached for comment.
