Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed legislation recommending the restoration-funds to ensure the meals.

Senior Nutrition serves more than 200,000 meals annually and includes Meals on Wheels, Congregant Meals and other programs that deliver to home- bound seniors or in senior centers. For many of the state's 80,000 senior nutrition recipients, the discounted or free meal is often the only meal they receive that day.

If not funded, the state, for the first time ever, will fall below the federal minimum standard for funding Senior Nutrition and lose over $1 million in additional matching federal funds, making the total loss $1.5 million for senior nutrition programs in Maryland.

"In a day and age where nearly one out of four older adults suffers from malnutrition, I am at a loss to explain how losing $1 million of Federal matching funds, diverting money into the state's general fund, and ultimately taking 200,000 needed meals off the table for Senior Nutrition makes sense," said Joseph DeMattos, Jr., AARP Maryland State Director.

"The 200,000 lost meals will not only be a loss of a vital safety net for older adults and their families, but also a harbinger of higher costs for the state and Marylanders. Study after study confirms that the risk for protracted recovery, complications, and cost of care all increase when treating a malnourished older adult."

Originally cut from the Governor's FY 06 budget, Senior Nutrition was fully restored by a House Appropriations Committee and a Conference Committee's decision to "restrict" $500,000 from another program. The General Assembly's decision also instructed that if the funds were not allocated to the Senior Nutrition program they would revert to the state's General Fund.

Community advocates have been unable to receive assurances from the Governor on whether he will allocate the $500,000 to the Senior Nutrition program or let it revert to the General Fund.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, http://www.aarp.org/. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Source: AARP Maryland

CONTACT: Kelley Coates-Carter, AARP, +1-410-895-7614, +1-410-340-7019
(cell)

Web site: http://www.aarp.org/