President Trumps 54 million dollar budget proposal cuts large parts of federal government funding which could potentially affect the disabled and senior citizens. In Ingham County alone meals on wheels delivers about five hundred thousand meals a year and has 21 different sites that volunteers work from.
“I’m concerned that the seniors who are sitting in there homes and are hearing about the program being cut, how they’re feeling,” said Carl Buonodono Nutrition Director for Meals on Wheels.
President Trumps budget plan will potentially cut the Older Americans Act and the Development Block Grant which equates to being about half of Meals on Wheels funding.
This potential cut of funding would lead to there being less sites open which means those who receive food from the program will no longer be able to do so. This budget plan not only affects those who get meals but also those who deliver them. 90 year old Robert Mac-Kinnon who goes by Bob, has been a Meals on Wheels volunteer for 15 year and feels with out Meals on Wheels he wouldn’t get his daily joy of helping others.
” I love doing this, it makes me feel happy, it makes me feel useful,” said Mac-Kinnon.
Volunteers from Meals on Wheels is the only human contact some seniors get.
“There have been instances where volunteers have found seniors fallen where they couldn’t get up, there are also instances where volunteers find seniors who have passed away,” said Buonodono.
So far there is no set date for when congress will vote on the proposed budget, funding for the current fiscal year is scheduled to run out April 28th.