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October 16, 2024
Major budget cut delivered to Meals on Wheels
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
Although state funding was cut this year, the Silver Sage will continue providing hot meals to those in need. In a major pivot, relative to the major financial reduction, Executive Director Art Crawford is finding a way.
“We’re making it work,” Crawford told county commissioners Thursday.
Last year, Meals on Wheels - organized, prepared and delivered by Silver Sage staff and volunteers - received enough funding to pay for 45,000 meals. This year, 14,220 meals will be reimbursed, after the state slashed the fund from $440,000 to $91,000.
“We are not cutting anybody off of our rolls, contrary to rumor,” Crawford said. “We are making changes to our delivery methods.”
In Bandera County, Meals on Wheels volunteers used 16 vehicles to drive 16 routes daily. After selling some vehicles, reducing two full-time staff members to part-time, and cutting back 1,100 daily miles to 500, Crawford said the program will survive.
Instead of a hot meal brought to their doors every day, Meals on Wheels recipients will receive one hot meal, and one meal to be refrigerated for the next day.
“This has cut down expenses on fuel and maintenance,” Crawford said, adding the county, the Kronkosky Foundation and fundraisers have helped make up some of the financial deficit. “If it weren’t for the volunteers in the kitchen (six or eight coming in the morning), we couldn’t make this work.”
Although the system isn’t perfect - Crawford expressed concern that some people will go more than a day without human interaction - for now, it will have to do.
“It’s not just about the meal. Sometimes we’re the only people they see,” Crawford said. “It’s more than just a meal.”
“We’re making it work,” Crawford told county commissioners Thursday.
Last year, Meals on Wheels - organized, prepared and delivered by Silver Sage staff and volunteers - received enough funding to pay for 45,000 meals. This year, 14,220 meals will be reimbursed, after the state slashed the fund from $440,000 to $91,000.
“We are not cutting anybody off of our rolls, contrary to rumor,” Crawford said. “We are making changes to our delivery methods.”
In Bandera County, Meals on Wheels volunteers used 16 vehicles to drive 16 routes daily. After selling some vehicles, reducing two full-time staff members to part-time, and cutting back 1,100 daily miles to 500, Crawford said the program will survive.
Instead of a hot meal brought to their doors every day, Meals on Wheels recipients will receive one hot meal, and one meal to be refrigerated for the next day.
“This has cut down expenses on fuel and maintenance,” Crawford said, adding the county, the Kronkosky Foundation and fundraisers have helped make up some of the financial deficit. “If it weren’t for the volunteers in the kitchen (six or eight coming in the morning), we couldn’t make this work.”
Although the system isn’t perfect - Crawford expressed concern that some people will go more than a day without human interaction - for now, it will have to do.
“It’s not just about the meal. Sometimes we’re the only people they see,” Crawford said. “It’s more than just a meal.”