Funding cuts impact local non-profits
Danyelle Burke North
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Federal funding cuts hit one local non-profit organization.
Western Arizona Council of Governments (WACOG) provides several services for locals like transportation, legal assistance, and senior nutrition centers. But the recent cuts are impacting how many people they can help.
One of those services, “Meals on Wheels” or home delivery meals, now requires a waitlist because of funding cuts.
“Folks that are on service with us right now receiving meals are continuing to receive those meals across the region. But we can’t take anyone new as they call in. We are using a wait list, and we do work to have them assessed,” said senior program manager for aging policy & advocacy Carol Brown.
Yuma and Mohave have wait lists but services are still available in La Paz. In their 2021 to 2023 report, the provider network delivered over 660,000 meals. They said they received additional funding during covid to help provide meals.
“But of course, I would say all of us area agencies on aging have spent that funding serving people, so that funding is no longer in place,” said Brown.
This while costs to provide these services keep going up.
“So we’ve been trying to make the purchases for the products, the food, the storage containers, the transportation, everything that’s involved in providing those meals. It has all gone up exponentially,” added Brown.
As this fiscal year comes to a close at the end of this month, they say they’re looking forward to see what the state determines to do with funding.