“What is needed is more local support, including participant contributions toward the cost of the meals, as well as more support from the Legislature,” said Richard McGhee, director of the Area Agency on Aging.
Tama Shaw, executive director of Hill Country Community Action, a non-profit organization in San Saba that administers the food program, said, “We cannot ask for additional funds from the Area Agency on Aging because it is allocated to the region based on a formula and what it is is what it is.”
She said that holds true for other sources of funding for the program, including Bell County and the city of Temple, which contributed about $15,000 each this past fiscal year. Temple’s contribution comes through Community Development Block Grant funding.
Ms. Shaw said participants of Meals on Wheels traditionally are asked to lend a hand.
“We also ask participants to contribute if they can when they have a meal served to them,” she said, adding that that amount goes toward the program budget.
“We ask for $2, but get more on average a dollar or less,” she said.
“Aside from participant contributions and other funding, it is important that people contribute their time to deliver meals,” she said. “This keeps us from having to hire people and spend money we don’t have to deliver meals.”
She said churches and civic organizations contribute.
The United Way of Central Texas is a regular contributor to the Meals on Wheels program, and has provisions for emergency funding, but has not been approached for emergency funding.
Ann Thompson, executive director of United Way of Central Texas, said the meals program serves multiple functions for those in need and also requires public support to function.
“United Way has increased giving to Meals on Wheels every single year,” she said, adding that the need always increases.
“There is never enough to cover everyone they have to serve,” she said.
She said the people delivering meals serve more than food. They also contribute to the wellbeing of the clients.
“This is maybe the only hot meal they will eat and maybe the only person they will see who will give them a warm body to talk to,” she said.
Hill Country learned in October, its first month of operation in the 2008 fiscal year, that it was supplying 2,500 more meals than it was budgeted for. At about $2.50 per meal, excluding administrative costs of about $2.50 per meal, the organization was on course to be at least $75,000 over its annual budget if it computed October’s numbers through the year.
Ms. Shaw said the organization budgeted $1.179 million for the 2007 fiscal year, although it spent $1.268 million. This year Hill Country has a budget of $1,237,965.
In addition to Bell County, Hill Country serves San Saba, Mills, Llano, Mason, Coryell, Hamilton, Lampasas and Milam counties.
