Nonprofit organizers say money from the federal government that was there before, is no longer there.
SAN ANTONIO — Our most vulnerable are on a waitlist. San Antonio’s Meals on Wheels said due to unstable funding sources, they have nearly 1,500 seniors on a waitlist to get a meal delivered to their home. This isn’t just a San Antonio problem.
The Comal County Senior Citizens Foundation, which has its own home delivery program says it is facing a similar issue.
Executive Director Christ Smith, with the nonprofit, said it is an unfortunate situation.
“There is a waitlist of over 100 people,” said Smith.
He said while there are over 100 home-bound seniors on a waitlist to get a meal delivered to their home Smith added the program serves 300 people a day.
“I think it speaks volume of the need that there is,” he said. “A population in on our community and not just our community food insecurity with seniors is very important. But unfortunately it is an issue. Comal County is one of the largest growing counties in the United States.”
Smith said funding is a big part of the problem. He said money from the federal government that was there before, is no longer there.
“We are trying to find other funding sources so we can get those people off the list,” he said. “I don’t see the government funding increasing. I just don’t.”
Smith said the short-fall in funding is about $200,000 a year to take care of the waitlist. Smith, who has only been on the job for six months, is trying to find other solutions.
“We are not only trying to partner with community leaders,” he said. “We are reaching out to individual donors. We have a wonderful center here. We are trying to find some additional revenue sources.”
Other possible revenues are grants and fundraisers as well.
“We don’t want any senior not being served,” he said.
San Antonio’s Meals on Wheels said the need exceeds the available resources to put everyone on service as soon as possible. The organization adds it is prioritizing referrals and focusing on people with the highest need, and said people could spend up to eight months on the waitlist. The nonprofit cited the rising cost and the uncertainty of funding from the Social Service Block Grant.