SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR AMERICA’S SENIORS

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As you consider FY 2025 appropriations, I ask you to prioritize nutrition, health and well-being for your senior constituents by providing $1.842 billion for the Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Program in the FY 2025 Labor-HHS- Education appropriations to fully meet the rising levels of need. The OAA is the primary piece of legislation supporting Meals on Wheels programs in our state and nationwide, with the delivery of 251 million meals to 2.2 million seniors each year. However, there is an enormous unmet need: 2.5 million seniors with low income and food insecurity are currently not being served due to insufficient funding and resources. We’re requesting equal funding for congregate and home-delivered nutrition services at $840.842 million each and $160.069 million for the Nutrition Services Incentive Program (NSIP). This is the first step toward truly ending senior hunger and isolation in America.

With the number of older adults experiencing hunger growing from 10 million to over 12 million, Meals on Wheels programs desperately require increased federal investments to meet the needs of seniors struggling with hunger and social isolation. The good news is that with adequate funding, Meals on Wheels programs have evidence-based and cost-effective solutions in place to address these challenges. Over 80% of Meals on Wheels participants report that the services they receive improve their health, help them feel more secure and allow them to live independently. None of this would be possible without federal funding of critical OAA programs.

However, nearly all programs are reporting challenges to serve the growing number of seniors in need. One in three local programs has a waitlist, with seniors waiting an average of 90 days for vital meals due to a growing senior population, lack of funding and rising costs. We need Congress to do its part to protect and strengthen these proven and effective programs by increasing federal OAA funding in FY 2025.

Thank you for your consideration of this request and your partnership in working toward a future where no senior in America is forgotten.

Meals on Wheels programs and the seniors they serve need your help! We are urging Congress to increase funding for Older Americans Act (OAA) senior nutrition programs, which support the delivery of 251 million meals to 2.2 million older adults each year.

However, there are an estimated 2.5 million more seniors who are not receiving the services they need. Now is a critical time for you to contact your Members of Congress. This is where you can help - your voice makes a difference!

Simply type your name, home address and email to automatically send a message to your Members of Congress asking them to increase funding for OAA programs. Thank you for your time and support.

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