Delaware’s Meals on Wheels may not get the state support it says the program needs next year.
Nutrition providers were expecting about $840 thousand more in state funding for Meals on Wheels next year, but the request from the Division of Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities under the Department of Health and Social Services is set $6 million. This year’s contract totaled $6.8 mil.
The state also introduced a new point system assessment tool to make it more difficult for seniors to qualify for the food delivery service. But Modern Maturity Center President and CEO Carolyn Fredricks says there is still some leeway.
“We had a gentleman who had a stroke and he used an assistive device to walk. He could not shop. He could not cook. And he only scored a 37 because he said, ‘well, I can give myself a bath and I can do certain things like that,’ so we scored a 37,” said Fredricks. “Well we determined, based upon his nutritional needs, he needs the meal.”
Food providers are now encouraged to defer seniors living below the poverty level to the Medicaid food delivery service—another program funded by the DHSS budget.
State Representative Lyndon Yearick sits on the board for Meals on Wheels Delaware. He says the board is making a case to the Joint Finance Committee and Gov. Carney for the state to foot the bill.
“We’d like to be able to sure up that funding going into the new fiscal year without trying to rely on shifting other dollars from other budget areas,” said Yearick.
Delaware Meals on Wheels delivered food to more than 4,300 people last year. Fredricks says the proposed bump in funds would pay for about 100,000 meals.
This story has been edited.