May 22, 2017 - MOW Receives Bank of America Grant
Meals on Wheels of Wake County does receive annually about 47% of its budget from the Federal Government through the Older Americans Act funding. A reduction in this funding would significantly impact our program. In addition to this funding we also raise, through private funds, approximately 46% of our budget. We have served the seniors in Wake County for 43 years and do have 43 years worth of factual evidence to prove that our service to seniors in need really does help them and their families tremendously. Because of our service our clients live nourished and connected lives, independently in their own homes.
Please take a minute to read the information presented by Meals on Wheels America.
PRESIDENT SENDS BUDGET BLUEPRINT TO CONGRESS
INCLUDES DEEP CUTS TO NON-DEFENSE DISCRETIONARY PROGRAMS
The President sent his Budget Blueprint, also known as the "skinny budget," to Congress today and will release further details in the coming months. This Blueprint focuses on discretionary spending levels for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, and makes investments in defense programs, paid for through deep cuts to non-defense discretionary (NDD) programs. The NDD portion of the federal budget funds everything from public education and transportation to Older Americans Act (OAA) programs.
WHAT WE KNOW
The Budget Blueprint serves as an outline providing insights to the Administration's key legislative priorities and agenda for FY 2018, and as in all other years, serves as a jumping off point for negotiations on Capitol Hill. A budget does not have the force of law, and it is ultimately up to Congress, through the budget and appropriations processes, to determine the final funding levels for NDD programs in the coming fiscal year.
WHAT THE BUDGET BLUEPRINT SAYS
You can find an overview of the President's FY 2018 Budget Blueprint here. Below is a breakdown of how this proposal could impact Members if this proposal were to become law:
• Reductions to NDD Programs: Proposes $54 billion in reductions to NDD programs, and the President says, "We are going to do more with less, and make the Government lean and accountable to the people." However, Meals on Wheels and other senior nutrition programs across the nation simply cannot do more with less: The senior population in the U.S. is growing exponentially while federal funding has not kept pace. The gap between those in need and those being served through OAA Nutrition Programs continues to grow, and waiting lists are mounting.
• Decreases to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): Requests $69.0 billion for HHS, demonstrating a $15.1 billion (17.9 percent) decrease from current levels. The majority of senior nutrition programs receive funding from HHS, so it would be difficult to imagine a scenario free from harm.
• Elimination of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program & Community Services Block Grant: Proposes to eliminate the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) – which offers low income households assistance with energy costs – and the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), which provides funds to help address community-level poverty. We know many of the seniors you serve rely on LIHEAP for cooling in the summer and heating in the winter.
• Elimination of Funding for the Community Development Block Grant Program: Proposes to eliminate the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program – a program run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). One of the longest-running grant programs in the nation, the CDBG acts as a source of funding to state and local governments nationwide, giving those communities flexibility to steer funds where needed. This program has typically received bipartisan support, though CDBG funding has been cut every year since 2013. Every state works with the money received from CDBGs in their own way, and some local Member programs rely on these grants for significant portions of their annual funding.
• Elimination of Senior Community Service Employment Program: Proposes to eliminate the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), which is a job training program for older adults, authorized by the OAA and aimed at helping low-income unemployed individuals find work. The SCSEP helps to support operations for some of your programs.
Here's what is not explicitly outlined in the President's budget:
• Elimination of Meals on Wheels: Though the budget does call for the elimination of several significant sources of funding for our Member programs nationwide, it does not call for the elimination of Meals on Wheels services as a whole.
• Specific Funding Levels for OAA Nutrition Programs: At this time, the President's proposal contains no mention of specific funding levels for OAA Nutrition Programs. The OAA covers 35% of the total cost to provide nutritious meals, safety checks and friendly visits to seniors, and local programs rely on contributions from state, local, private donations and other resources to cover the rest.
• Specific Funding Levels for Social Services Block Grant / Other USDA Nutrition Programs: The Budget Blueprint contains no mention of specific funding levels for Social Services Block Grants (SSBG) – a program that provides funding to help states deliver social services – or other USDA Nutrition Programs that our Members care about, such as the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
We expect the President's full budget in the coming months, at which point we will have more details on how vital funding for our Members will be affected. However, if the President's budget is enacted, it is difficult to imagine a scenario in which our local programs would not be negatively impacted.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Meals on Wheels of Wake County at 919-833-1749
OP ED - News and Observer 11/29/16
A Quiet Hunger, Triangle Seniors Without Food
Meals on Wheels of Wake County Receives $85,000 Challenge Grant from The Stewards Fund of Raleigh
Donors to MOW can double the value of their contribution by helping Meals on Wheels of Wake County meet The Stewards Fund of Raleigh Challenge Grant. If we raise $85,000 from INCREASED gifts from current donors, renewal gifts from lapsed donors, and new gifts from new donors, the Stewards Fund will match it with another $85,000. Please donate today and help us meet this challenge grant. The match period is from November 1 though February 28.
TenPlus Systems in Raleigh Hosts Holiday Sales Event to Benefit Local Charities - Including MOW Wake County
With the holidays just upon us, what better time to take advantage of savings than the TenPlus Holiday Sales Event. They are offering holiday benefits and special pricing on all Apple computers and iPads. During the Holiday Sales Event, when you purchase a Macintosh with AppleCare or an iPad with AppleCare+, you can pick Meals on Wheels of Wake County as your charity and TenPlus will make a cash donation of $25.00 per CPU and $15.00 per iPad. The offer is from November 14 through December 30, 2016.
For details visit: www.tenplus.com
TenPlus Systems
500-C Uwharrie Court
Raleigh, NC 27606
Meals on Wheels of Wake County Receives Grant to Improve Senior Health and Reduce Food Waste
Meals on Wheels of Wake County has been selected by the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger (NFESH) as one of five nonprofit nutrition programs in the U.S. to receive a service grant to implement NFESH’s innovative food waste solution. The What A Waste™ project, made possible with support from the Walmart Foundation, will provide Meals on Wheels with the tools and training to optimize resources and better meet the nutrition needs of seniors in Wake County. The project will be implemented at the Five Points Center for Active Adults in Raleigh starting in May.
“Meals on Wheels is looking forward to being a part of this national study,” said MOW Executive Director Alan Winstead. “We want our senior adult participants eating nutritious food and we want to reduce food waste locally and help shape Best Practices that can be replicated throughout the country. We have engaged local partners to assist in this project, including students from the Meredith College Nutrition Program and Inter-Faith Shuttle. All of us plan to have a lot of fun and learn from the experience.”
Through What A Waste, Meals on Wheels of Wake County will learn how to separate, measure and catalogue food waste from the kitchen, dining room and seniors’ plates. The waste data is analyzed by NFESH to determine how much of each particular food item is wasted and which specific nutrients are being lost as a result. This knowledge will help Meals on Wheels of Wake County create menus and serve meals that can improve their clients overall nutrition and promote better health.
In addition, What A Waste helps programs improve their operations and includes a gardening component that engages seniors in moderate physical activity and produces fresh vegetables that can be incorporated into nutrition program menus.
“When food goes to waste so does good nutrition,” said Enid Borden, NFESH Founder, President and CEO. “We are proud to be working with Meals on Wheels of Wake County to reduce food waste and ensure its seniors get the vital nutrients they need to support good health.”
In the United States, 9.6 million seniors faced the threat of hunger in 2013, according to the latest research from NFESH. At the same time, nearly 40 percent of the food produced in the country ended up in landfills, according to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council.
March 2016
March for Meals Invites Community Champions to Deliver for Meals on Wheels
The month of March mobilized hundreds of local Meals on Wheels programs across the country to reach out to their communities and build the support that will enable them to serve America’s seniors all year long. Wake County community champions joined the cause this year to focus attention on our program and how everyone in the community can help our senior neighbors.
“The Meals on Wheels ‘more than just a meal’ model addresses three of the biggest threats of aging: isolation, hunger and loss of independence,” said Meals on Wheels America President and CEO Ellie Hollander. “More than ever, we must join forces to meet the needs of the fastest growing population in America who want to be able to live at home for as long as they can. It not only makes economic sense to enable seniors to stay healthy and safe at home, but it improves the health and vibrancy of our communities and our nation at large.”
