Arlington, VA – August 1, 2024 – Meals on Wheels America President and CEO Ellie Hollander today issued the following statement in response to the 20-1 passage of S. 4776, Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee:

We commend Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Bernie Sanders, Ranking Member Bill Cassidy, M.D., Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging Bob Casey, Ranking Member Mike Braun, and Senators Susan Collins, Tim Kaine, Ed Markey and Markwayne Mullin for introducing the bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA). We are one step closer to fully reauthorizing this critical piece of legislation supporting community-based nutrition and social services – like Meals on Wheels – for adults 60 and older, their families and caregivers. 

Chairman Sanders opened the hearing by emphasizing the importance of OAA reauthorization: “This legislation begins to pay attention to the urgent unmet needs of millions of seniors in our country and what we should do as a society to reduce the senior poverty rate, to reduce senior hunger, and to improve the health and well-being of some of the most vulnerable people in our nation.” 

At a time when one in three Meals on Wheels programs has a waitlist and 2.5 million seniors are not receiving services they need, additional funding is paramount to meeting the growing needs of older adults facing hunger and isolation. The bill makes great strides by authorizing a funding increase of 20% from current funding levels of $2.3 billion to $2.76 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. Over the next five years, the bill would authorize a 44% funding increase to $3.3 billion in FY 2029.  

It is heartening to see such resounding, bipartisan support to reauthorize this significant piece of legislation that has withstood the test of time for nearly 60 years. We look forward to working with the Senate HELP Committee and others in Congress to further increase authorization levels, ensure community-based organizations have the resources and flexibility to deliver vital nutrition and social connection services to all older adults in need, and enhance local programs’ ability to do what they do best –  providing critical services in homes, senior centers and other community settings. This reauthorization is an investment that will save lives, improve health and reduce costs well in the future.

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ABOUT MEALS ON WHEELS AMERICA
Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. By providing funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.