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Advocates for older Mainers concerned about loss of federal funding for Meals on Wheels

Advocates for older Mainers say they're concerned about the loss of future federal funding for Meals on Wheels and other programs.

Congress has yet to reauthorize funding for the Older Americans Act, which provides about $6 million a year to Maine.

Southern Maine Agency on Aging CEO Megan Walton said that funding has remained flat for a decade.

"52% of older single Mainers cannot afford their basic needs," Walton said. "We're talking about one lane which is nutrition, but it's impacted by everything else. Healthcare costs, transportation needs, the lack of affordable housing."

Walton said she's concerned about the future of the Older Americans Act, because the Department of Health and Human Services has closed the Administration for Community Living which manages it.

"Currently, statewide there is a waitlist of 744 people who are waiting for Meals on Wheels. For some people that's been weeks. For others it's been over a year that they have been waiting," Walton said.