Aging Best steps up its help during government shutdown
Alison Patton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Military veteran Joseph Gray was approved to receive disability pension, but that — and his Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits — were put on pause once the federal government shut down.
Now, he’s struggling to eat a meal every day.
“Usually, I eat OK and have never needed any help before, but I’ve never been in this position either, where the government took away everything they promised me,” Gray said.
He got his first set of seven meals on Friday from Aging Best, a nonprofit that provides homebound seniors with free, frozen meals.
Gov. Mike Kehoe announced Wednesday that $10.6 million is being transferred from the Senior Services Growth and Development Fund to Missouri Area Agencies on Aging. Columbia’s Aging Best will receive a little more than $1.2 million.
“It’s all going towards programming and feeding people,” said Patty Wickham, a spokesperson from Aging Best.
Wickham said the funds Aging Best is receiving are an increase in funding from previous years, but the nonprofit would have gotten the funding later. Kehoe simply made that money available earlier.
Wickham said that since the government shutdown, more people who have lost their SNAP benefits have been calling and trying to receive free meals. However, only home-bound seniors are eligible for the program.
“We’ve had to turn some people away, and direct them more towards their local food pantries and food banks,” she said. “There’s definitely been a strain that you can feel through the panicked voices on the calls.”
If you or someone you know is facing food insecurity as a home-bound senior, you can visit the Aging Best website. You can also visit the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri’s “food finder” website.