Meals On Wheels Program In Everett And Snohomish County Seeking Funding Help As Cutbacks Kick In

Homage Senior Services who provides a number of programs in Everett including Meals On Wheels is asking for help following cutbacks to that program. Here’s more.

Due to the ending of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 and, subsequently, the loss of Meals on Wheels funding for Medicaid recipients, Homage Senior Services is facing a deficit of more than $50,000.

By September 1, 2023, Homage is seeking the community’s help to make up the budget shortfall and to have funding to serve new clients through the first quarter of 2024.

The Medicaid funding cuts impact Homage’s ability to deliver an estimated 23,850 meals to more than 200 people from July 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024, according to Homage’s Director of Nutrition, Leah Hammon. (Further details can be found in the breakdown below.)

“The enhanced federal relief funding didn’t even fully cover the meal and delivery costs as it is, and now the return of the current rate back to the pre-pandemic rate is devastating,” said Hammon. “Food prices have soared over the past three years, and gas prices have also increased substantially, which impacts the cost of our weekly deliveries.”

Cost for Homage to Provide + Deliver Meals on Wheels to Medicaid Recipients

• Homage provides and delivers a week’s worth of meals at an expense of $9/meal, which is at no cost to Homage’s clients.
The Snohomish County Human Services Department of Long-Term Care & Aging reimburses Homage for the meals for this particular program.

• During the pandemic, the reimbursement rate for Medicaid was $8.50 (which was still not enough money to cover the cost of each meal according to Hammon.)

• Effective 07/01/2023, the County reimbursement rate returned to $6.80/meal—the same rate that was in effect in 2020 (before the COVID-enhanced rate.)

Community Assistance Needed

“Something has to give,” said Homage’s Chief Executive Officer Keith Bell. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to serving meals to the people we feed each week. We are once again scrutinizing the many services we provide to see where we might secure more community funds and government assistance to sustain our necessary programs and keep this particular one running for these recipients and other folks who reach out daily with needs.”

TO DONATE
Please find a link to more details about this pressing need and how the public can help and donate at Homage.org/helptoday/.