Trump’s Federal Spending Pause is ‘Creating Chaos’ for Meals On Wheels, Spox Says: ‘Seniors Will Panic’ About ‘Their Next Meals’
(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump’s decision to pause funding for federal grants and loans is reportedly “creating chaos” and uncertainty for Meals on Wheels.
The Trump administration on Tuesday morning announced the pause as it reviews spending. In a memo obtained by The Associated Press from the Office of Management and Budget, acting director Matthew Vaeth called the “use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies” a “waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.”
That pause, however, could severely impact the operation Meals on Wheels, the government program that delivers meals to people unable to leave their homes. A significant portion of those homebound recipients are senior.
A Meals on Wheels spokesperson told Huffington Post reporter Arthur Delaney that the uncertainty is “creating chaos.”
“The uncertainty right now is creating chaos for local Meals on Wheels providers not knowing whether they should be serving meals today,” the spokesperson said. “Which unfortunately means seniors will panic not knowing where their next meals will come from.”
A Trump administration official told Delaney that “no benefits to individuals are affected” by the pause, but the wording of the OMB’s memo has caused Meals on Wheels to worry.
“The OMB memo footnote says the pause ‘does not include assistance provided directly to individuals,'” Delaney said. “An administration official says Meals on Wheels should be OK. Meals on Wheels is grants through states and nonprofits — not directly to individuals — they don’t think they’re OK.”
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