White Plains Meals on Wheels says food delivery service is cutting back, waitlist formed for 1st time
Until recently, the program delivered two meals a day to about 70 seniors in need. Now, budget shortfalls mean they can only deliver one.
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A lifeline for local seniors is cutting back in Westchester County.
Volunteers, like Steven Hochman, packed up boxes of food for Meals on Wheels White Plains at White Plains High School on Monday.
"Meals on Wheels is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization that feeds homebound elderly," Hochman said.
Until recently, the program delivered two meals a day to about 70 seniors in need. Now, budget shortfalls mean they can only deliver one.
"The price of food has gone up, tremendously, and essentially, we can't afford to pay for the two meals a day," retired executive director Jeremy Kasman said.
For the first time in 39 years, Kasman said the service also has a waitlist.
Federal cuts to SNAP and Medicaid may be to blame.
"People have less," Kasman said.
Seniors, like Mary Marchi, say they depend on the deliveries, and the impact is personal and painful.
"I don't think it's fair that they attack the senior citizen. They should be the last people on the ladder that they should cut back on," Marchi said.
Democratic Rep. George Latimer said the cuts "will increase the need for programs like Meals on Wheels."
A spokesman for Republican Rep. Mike Lawler said, "there are no federal ‘cuts’ to funding for Meals on Wheels, but rather a smaller funding increase than initially planned."
The spokesman also said people should avoid frightening seniors with the language they use.
