Each Monday, Maurine Gentis, a retired educator, eagerly anticipates her Meals on Wheels delivery from South Texas.
“These meals really help me manage my expenses,” said Ms. Gentis, 77. Living independently and using a wheelchair, she values the regular visits as a form of support. This nonprofit organization also provides her with library books and supplies for her cat.
However, Ms. Gentis feels apprehensive about the future. The small government agency that oversees Meals on Wheels is being disbanded due to changes in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the Trump administration. Around half of its workforce has been laid off, and all ten regional offices are now closed, according to multiple former employees.
“I can’t help but worry that everything could fall apart,” she expressed.
In an effort to eliminate what he calls “illegal and immoral discrimination programs,” President Trump has issued directives that target federal initiatives aimed at improving access and representation for individuals with disabilities. Agencies have started labeling terms like “accessible” and “disability” as potentially controversial, leading to the cessation of certain research funding, and the dismissal of several government employees focused on disability issues.
The cutback of the Administration for Community Living is part of broader funding reductions proposed in the Trump administration’s budget for H.H.S.
Although some federal funding might remain until September, the end of the fiscal year, and a few staff members have been recalled temporarily, the future remains uncertain. Additionally, organizations are reporting delays in anticipated federal support.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty,” remarked Becky Yanni, executive director of the Council on Aging in St. Johns County, Florida. She has been informed that funding for their Meals on Wheels program and other services may be delayed.
Should funding be inadequate, “many communities will face service cuts,” warned Sandy Markwood, CEO of USAging, which represents aging services networks.
The community living division plays a crucial role in coordinating support services for older and disabled Americans, enabling them to stay at home instead of moving to nursing facilities. Although it holds a budget of $2.6 billion, this figure is a small portion of H.H.S.’s total expenditures.
Under the restructuring led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the community unit’s tasks will be redistributed among other agencies, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Administration for Children and Families.
“This consolidation better positions the department to address the health needs of vulnerable populations nationwide,” stated a spokesperson for H.H.S. “The essential functions of these vital programs will continue in different forms within H.H.S.”
Proposals indicate that several programs under the community living division will be cut, including one that offers ombudsmen for nursing homes to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents, and respite care programs that provide relief for caregivers of elderly individuals or those with disabilities. Additionally, states will have more discretion over financial allocations.
Beyond meal deliveries, the community living agency supports various initiatives, including nonprofit Centers for Independent Living, which employ people with disabilities to assist others in transitioning from nursing homes back into community settings and to access services like transportation and legal aid.
Theo W. Braddy, executive director at the National Council on Independent Living, representing centers and individuals with disabilities, stated that the current climate has disrupted planning efforts.
“Everyone is feeling anxious. We can’t provide them with information since we lack clarity ourselves,” he noted, highlighting the absence of communication from the Trump administration or H.H.S. to their group.
Advocates argue that these recent funding reductions have further marginalized seniors and disabled Americans. “The reality is that those in power show little regard for large segments of the U.S. population,” said Dr. Joanne Lynne, a clinical professor of geriatrics and palliative care at George Washington University.
“We have made it extraordinarily difficult to live with disabilities and in old age,” she remarked. “We are heading towards making it nearly unbearable.”
Community organizations like Meals on Wheels are preparing for significant funding cuts. Besides the expected loss from the Administration for Community Living, Republican legislators are looking to reduce grants to states that utilize different federal funding sources. The Trump administration and Republican lawmakers are also advocating for widespread reductions to the Medicaid program, which offers health coverage for low-income Americans.
“We’re facing numerous potential threats all at once,” stated Josh Protas, chief advocacy and policy officer for Meals on Wheels America, an association of local nonprofits. Approximately a third of the local organizations within the association already have waiting lists, and lower funding would mean fewer meals for fewer individuals.
Individuals aged 60 or older who have low incomes and struggle to prepare meals on their own usually qualify for Meals on Wheels. The demand for such services is on the rise, especially with increasing food prices and a growing need for assistance. Over two million seniors receive food deliveries each year, many of whom say they would struggle to pay for meals without this program.
“Meals on Wheels is a tremendous blessing for me,” said Richard Beatty, a 70-year-old man with vision problems and limited mobility living in Baltimore. He receives deliveries four times weekly and is unsure how he would cope without the program.
If funding cuts occur, these programs will face challenging decisions regarding…
Eligibility for meal deliveries was discussed, with Dan Capone, the CEO of Meals on Wheels South Texas, stating, “We would have to make significant alterations to our service recipients.” His organization currently assists about 300 clients weekly, including Ms. Gentis, and relies on private donations alongside federal funding, which makes up roughly 40% of their budget.
The federal community unit under budget cuts also plays a vital role in aiding disabled Americans, particularly the elderly.
“A great deal of our work focuses on restoring dignity to people’s lives,” explained Karen Tamley, the CEO of Access Living, a center based in Chicago that is one of 400 nationwide.
These centers link individuals to various services and provide job and skills training for young adults with disabilities, helping them learn to drive or secure affordable housing.
The Administration for Community Living has aided organizations in navigating the state and local systems responsible for distributing federal funding. When Mr. Capone sought clarification on Texas’s fund allocation, he contacted the regional office in Dallas. He noted, “We started developing that relationship with the local office, and now it’s gone.”
“It’s practically frustrating,” expressed Fay Gordon, one of the regional administrators who was recently dismissed. “These programs are essential and require guidance.”
As some organizations prepare to minimize expenses, Brittany Boyd-Chisholm, CEO of the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania, noted that over half of her funding comes from the federal agency. She has requested that all managers, including herself, take a 5 to 10 percent salary reduction and is considering additional measures, as her center was already facing funding shortages.
With no updates on future grants and unanswered emails, she remarked, “It leaves you feeling isolated.”
Established during the Obama administration, the agency aimed to consolidate the efforts of three former agencies: the Administration on Aging, the Office on Disability, and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities.
“Bringing these programs together was about improving efficiency and fostering coordination,” stated Alison Barkoff, the former acting administrator under President Biden, who resigned last fall.
During the initial Trump administration amid the pandemic, the agency collaborated with the Office for Civil Rights to guarantee clear directives for hospitals and doctors, ensuring that care for individuals with disabilities wouldn’t be denied due to staff shortages.
“We had identified shared priorities to address,” said Daniel Davis, who was part of the agency’s Center of Policy and Evaluation, which reportedly saw all of its staff laid off, according to former employees.
