Right now, nearly 46,000 older adults across the country are on waitlists for Meals on Wheels. Many have been waiting for months. Some for years. And some, heartbreakingly, may never receive the nutritious meals or social connection they need to live safely at home. 

This isn’t due to lack of effort. It’s due to a lack of funding, and funding negotiations for fiscal year 2026 are happening right now. 

Meals on Wheels providers are doing everything they can. Now, in some cases, they’re capping waitlists that have grown too long to manage. They’re prioritizing the most urgent cases. In some communities, they’ve stopped adding names altogether because they know help just won’t come in time.  

TELL CONGRESS TO SUPPORT SENIORS

What message are we sending to our aging, homebound neighbors when we don’t prioritize their basic human needs? The network has been working hard without increased funding- even as the dollars provided continue to lose buying power among rising operation, fuel and food costs. 

By the end of September, Congress must take action on funding for the Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Program - the foundation that many local Meals on Wheels providers rely on to deliver meals and support to our nation’s most vulnerable seniors. If this funding is cut, many programs could be faced with impossible choices from reducing services to closing their doors, leaving even more seniors with no options left for help. 

Here’s the truth:
Meals on Wheels is ready to serve.

With the right investment, we can eliminate waitlists, strengthen local programs and reach every senior in need. Congress needs to hear from you. Tell Congress to prioritize seniors and increase and protect funding for the OAA Senior Nutrition Program with just two minutes of your time today.  

EMAIL CONGRESS NOW

Together, we can protect this lifeline and End the Wait™ so that every senior who needs Meals on Wheels gets it. 

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Julia Martinez Harrington
Senior Director, Government Relations
Meals on Wheels America