By MORGAN CHILSON
Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — Fear that federal funding cuts will mean loved ones won’t receive nutritional food and safety checks through Meals on Wheels is driving an increase of calls to agencies across Kansas.
“It’s scary,” said Laurel Alkire, executive director of Senior Services Inc. of Wichita. “I’ve had a lot of families call me about their mom or dad. We’re trying to not overreact, but it’s very concerning.”
The fear is generated by potential federal funding cuts from multiple sources that could affect Meals on Wheels budgets nationwide, said Josh Protas, an advocate at the organization’s national office, Meals on Wheels America.
“I think there’s a lot of confusion and a lot of anxiety that we’re hearing from across our network that is in response to multiple threats that are happening all at once,” he said.
Programs facing federal cuts include those funded by Health and Human Services, which has faced “massive” cuts of budget and personnel, Protas said. A leaked budget document signaled intentions to cut and split apart some programs that serve older adults.
Also of concern is the ongoing budget reconciliation process, which among other things may include elimination of social services block grants and cuts to the Older Americans Act, he said.
“Social Services Block Grants are a critical source of funding for many Meals on Wheels programs to help fill in the gaps where there are shortfalls in other funding sources,” Protas said.
Proposed cuts to Medicaid also could harm Meals on Wheels budgets because those funds sometimes offer reimbursements, he said.
Isys Schmitt, director of nutrition at the Hays-based Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging, said her agency serves 18 counties at 28 sites in northwest Kansas.
“I do hear the concerns from participants,” she said. “I think it’s more they hear these things on the news, and they automatically think it’s going to affect our program very badly.”
Her agency receives about 25% of its funding from federal sources, 25% from the state, and the rest in contributions, Schmitt said.
Protas said Meals on Wheels programs are all funded through different mechanisms, so it’s difficult to tell how cuts might affect each program. Some get almost no federal funding, while others may receive 80% of funds from federal sources.
Staying calm, planning ahead
Julie Govert Walter, executive director of the North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging Inc., is assessing potential cuts and trying to plan for how her agency might be affected, including the Meals on Wheels program it runs.
“We’re right now telling people don’t panic,” she said. “We don’t want our elder Kansans to stress out over the uncertainty. At the same time, we want lawmakers in Washington to understand that the Older Americans Act programs are making significant differences in the lives of older Kansans and their caregivers and their families.”
About half of Walter’s agency budget is derived from the Older Americans Act, with about 34% of the allocation and related in-kind match donations supporting the meals program in 18 northeast Kansas counties.
Alkire said that Wichita’s Senior Services has other programs besides Meals on Wheels, including a senior employment program and four senior centers for active seniors 55 and older.
“Meals on Wheels is our bread and butter,” she said. “We’ve got some reserves, but that wouldn’t last long.”
Walter said she believes the programs her organization runs are aligned with Trump administration policies because they’re frugal, cost-conscious and have significant volunteer support. In addition, Meals on Wheels helps seniors live independently, which often keeps them out of more costly nursing home facilities.
Protas said the national organization is walking the line of not scaring seniors about funding cuts but making sure people are reaching out to make their voices heard.
“Many of these things that we’re worried about, there haven’t been final decisions made yet,” he said. “So we’re using this time to advocate and to just tell the story about Meals on Wheels. We’re advising our Meals on Wheels member programs to do some contingency planning so that in the event that there are delays or disruptions in funding, they’re not caught off guard. We’re not doing that in a way that instills panic, but we recognize that the threats are serious.”
No budget numbers
Walter said planning right now is tough because of political uncertainties, but even more so because she doesn’t have information from the feds that she needs. Usually by this time of year, she knows what her budget is for the upcoming year. She doesn’t have those numbers yet to plan for fiscal year 2026, which will start in October.
In mid-March, Congress funded the Older Americans Act and other programs through September 2025 with a continuing resolution. But no one knows what will happen next, Walter said. When she considers potential cuts of up to 30% of her agency’s funding, she’s not sure how to think about what actions to take.
Options could include cutting the number of days they serve meals from five to two or three, but that would involve potential workforce cuts, she said.
“It’s a puzzle,” she said. “We’re doing what we can to communicate with members of Congress about our situation, and I will say I think most members of the Kansas congressional delegation understand the importance of the OAA.”
Little understanding of aging
Walter said one of the biggest challenges is communicating with people about the importance of Meals on Wheels and other programs for aging Kansans.
“We all know what it’s like to be a kid, to be an adolescent, to be a young adult, and to be in middle age,” she said. “But honestly, most people don’t get what it’s like to really deal with challenges and the anxieties of being older, 75 and 80 plus, until we’re there. It’s so dependent on health and community and social relationships.”
“The stress and uncertainty is real, and it has real effects on people’s minds and hearts and spirits,” Walter said. “It’s hard to quantify, but you know it’s real. Drama is not good for older people.”