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MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA IS ALARMED THAT FEDERAL BUDGET BLUEPRINT PAVES THE WAY FOR CUTS TO KEY SAFETY-NET PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS

Apr 10, 2025

ARLINGTON, Va., April 10, 2025 – Meals on Wheels America President and CEO Ellie Hollander today issued the following statement regarding the House passage of a budget blueprint that paves the way for detrimental cuts to safety-net programs:

It’s beyond disheartening to see both chambers of Congress push forward a budget reconciliation blueprint that sets the stage for harmful impacts to vital programs that help support older adults, including elimination of the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) program and significant cuts to SNAP and Medicaid.

Meals on Wheels providers aren’t getting the funding they need through their primary federal source – the Older Americans Act (OAA) – because it hasn’t kept pace with the rapid growth in the senior population and rising costs. That’s why supplemental funding sources, like the SSBG program that Meals on Wheels providers in 37 states use to help bridge gaps, are so critical.

If Congress takes away SSBG funding and weakens other programs that Meals on Wheels providers rely on, many will be left with no choice but to reduce services, add seniors to a waitlist or turn some seniors facing hunger away altogether. Demand is likely to skyrocket further as cuts to other safety-net programs like SNAP and Medicaid would limit access, reduce benefits and worsen food insecurity and hardship for millions more older Americans at a time when resources already aren’t keeping up with the need.

The passage of this budget blueprint marks the next step in a process with the stated goal of reducing federal spending. Yet eliminating the SSBG program does the opposite and would result in increased federal spending for health care and long-term care expenses for older adults. Meals on Wheels is a proven public-private partnership designed to keep seniors healthy and independent in their own homes and out of costly health care facilities. In fact, our network’s key services reduce costs: we can serve a senior Meals on Wheels for an entire year for roughly the same cost as just one day in the hospital or 10 days in a nursing home.

We implore Members of Congress to meet with their local Meals on Wheels providers and the seniors they serve to experience firsthand the profound impact and cost savings our programs make every day. As the House and Senate move toward a reconciliation bill, we hope our message to Capitol Hill is clear: any cuts or policy changes that exacerbate an already dire situation for millions of older Americans is unacceptable.

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