Posted on 03/16/2017 8:20:36 PM PDT by BackRoads775
At a news conference Thursday, Mick Mulvaney, President Trump’s budget chief, defended proposed cuts to the Meals on Wheels program, which provides food aid to needy senior citizens, by saying the program is one of many that is “just not showing any results.”
Meals on Wheels is a nonprofit group that receives funding from the federal government, state and local governments and private donors. “We serve more than 2.4 million seniors from 60 to 100+ years old each year,” the organization writes. “They are primarily older than 60 and because of physical limitations or financial reasons, have difficulty shopping for or preparing meals for themselves.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
As I understand it, the customers paid a small amount (on a sliding scale based upon their income) to help cover some of the costs. The recipients who had very low incomes were charged nothing. If the federal government funded any of this is was a minuscule percentage because it is designed to be a very low cost & low overhead operation with most of the work effort being by unpaid volunteers using their own vehicles (e.g., without being reembursed for gas—although you could deduct your mileage as a charitable donation).
You are completely correct. How the hell are we ever going to seriously address entitlements when we can’t even give the budget a haircut.
But if they can’t get a job they should starve.
I’m 85+ single,live alone in a rural area, and because of legal technicalities can’t drive. I’m living on a poverty level SS (not SSI) income. Yet I can’t qualify even so despite these circumstances because I’m not on disability. I was told if I wanted one of their meals I would have to get unto town where they have a improvised cafeteria set up at a meeting hall.
I was offered to see what it was all about to go out with one if the volunteer drivers on his route who would take me to that hall after he completed his deliveries. SO I did.
Half those people on that route were in far better financial circumstances than I ever given my age and abilities would hope to be. Their vehicles were no more than 5 years old. And most got to the door to accept the meal.
I offer no conclusion about this but to point out there is a need and a he;; of a lot of waste
Another example of dishonest reporting.
In the USA, Meals on Wheels are largely county-level local non-profits. It is not a government program so it shouldn’t receive federal funding. Technically, those MoW nonprofits that do get any type of federal grant, are not allowed to charge for the meals or serve meals to anyone younger than 60 (according to wiki) so there’s actually a disincentive.
After-school ‘educational programs’ were supposed to improve student scores, sociability and employability. They haven’t. Serving a snack may or may not have been part of the after-school program. Serving a snack didn’t improve student scores or health, either.
This is just the beginning of draining the swamp - by weeding out the failed or unnecessary or not-fed programs whose dollars go into an endless hole with no results. It’s like cleaning the attic. Hard work, a lot of memories, but worth it.
They feed 2.4 million people every year using only 3% of the funds they raise?
Is this like Woodstock? Do they pass around a bowlful of granola?
People in a coma can absentee vote for Democrats. Those babies won’t be able to vote for 18 years and when they grow up they are going to be p!ssed about the taxes they will have to pay to cover their share of the national debt spent by these and the politicians who came before them. MMM mmmm mmm.
Pretty much.
My parents receive meal on wheels service for several years now. Which is big help because they are both barely able to care for themselves. I think it is a good organization that provides a valuable and needed service.
However, no private organization should receive federal money regardless the honorable mission. Cut it.....
Your attitude is why Democrats have controlled government for most of the past 80 years.
Meals on Wheels is not a federal program, it’s funded by state or local tax dollars and donations. The Federal Government gives a block grant to communities which some use part of to provide part of the funding for Meals on Wheels.
Anybody who wants an enlightening experience should attend their local Government’s CDBG hearing, or watch the archived footage of one. The hearings draw a sizable group of attendees, ranging from those who provide legitimate services to some who are outright scam artists. A significant group in the middle have nice sounding goals but customarily produce nothing of value to anyone but those who run them. They’re all lined up trying to get their snouts in the federal money trough. Frequently, cities aren’t too selective about who they give the money to because it’s not theirs.
In my community, re-purposing the money going to the scamsters would easily cover MOW. I doubt that we’re unique.
They have no program to discontinue MOW because they make no direct contribution to it. They give a lump of money to cities and some cities give some of it to MOW. They’re known as CDBG grants.
Their proposal is to stop handing out slush funds that they can’t supervise and, as he said, are frequently spent on programs that don’t produce any detectable results. MOW’s budget is generally less than 5 percent federal funds. It serves a purpose and is best funded closer to home.
Only 3% of their budget comes from the feds
(I don’t read WaPo-their paywall is too tedious to dismantle.)
The Bezos Post is getting creative again. He didn’t make any proposal regarding Meals on Wheels. He proposed cutting Community Block Development Grants. One reporter, probably reading from his DNC talking point card, brought up MOW.
Think about it and if you are still confused, ping me and I will be glad to discuss.
Considering the source, I would very much like to see the actual full statement, in context.
That said, the Federal Government does have the authority to spend money in this fashion - if they are, it is wrong.
It is not theirs to give.
Meals On Wheels and LIHEAP are two programs that actually work, and should be left alone.
There’s plenty of other pork that can be cut from other areas of the budget.
Such as John McCain’s salary....
Meals on wheels is a great program. But it should be done locally, as a charity if possible.
And certainly it gets results. Is it inefficient? Since it uses volunteers, I would imagine it is more efficient than most federal programs. But federal programs, pretty much by definition, are inefficient.
Actually, at $6 a day, delivered by volunteers, the program shouldn’t need federal funding at all.
I could see it set up to deliver meals from the local high school, for example, for significantly less than that.
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