On June 12, the Los Angeles City Council voted not to extend funding for the LA Department of Aging, possibly resulting in some free home-delivered senior meal programs being discontinued as early as this August.
One of the programs being considered for termination is the Emergency Response Senior Meals Program, which was established by the LA Department of Aging to address rising food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Revolution Foods, which partners with the city, said it delivers five meals a week to the homes of seniors enrolled in the program.
The meal program, which is currently offered for free at the Los Angeles Koreatown Senior and Community Center and the Angelus Plaza senior apartments, has not yet been affected by the budget cuts to the Department of Aging.
“We haven’t received any notice from the department that the program will be discontinued or the number of meals will be reduced. In fact, we recently requested an increase in the number of meals from 225 to 250,” said Yong Sin Shin, president of the Koreatown Senior and Community Center. “However, with the budget cuts in the department, we can’t rest easy.”
“I know there are quite a few residents in my apartment complex who get a week’s worth of food delivered directly to their homes from the government,” said an Angelus Plaza resident, “and they will be significantly affected if the program discontinues.”
Revolution Foods also expressed concern that the disappearance of the program would leave thousands of seniors in social and economic hardship without meals.
“Nearly 40% of low-income seniors over the age of 60 in California are food insecure,” the company wrote in a letter to the City Council, noting that “Los Angeles has the largest food insecure population in the nation.”
The Mayor’s original budget proposal would have cut $5.15 million from the Department of Aging. Even after the City Council reallocated $2.7 million, the budget is still down by $2.45 million, meaning the RRSMP program would no longer be funded.
The Department of Aging reiterated the fact that the program is underfunded during a meeting with the budget committee on June 12.
The agency is reportedly referring seniors who are currently enrolled in the program to alternative programs run by the government.
However, many seniors may not be eligible for these alternatives due to restrictive eligibility, such as having to be homebound seniors who are unable to travel, according to those familiar with the issue.
“While not considered ‘homebound’ in LA, many seniors are still unable to drive or walk safely the distances it takes to get their daily meal,” said Dominic Engels, CEO of Revolution Foods. “These seniors do not qualify for other alternative programs and will not be able to receive meals they need.”
BY SUAH JANG, HOONSIK WOO [jang.suah@koreadaily.com]
