County's senior meals program could be affected by federal cuts

By Charlene Sims, info@linncountyjournal.com

MOUND CITY – In an update about the East Central Kansas Area Agency on Aging (ECKAAA) on Monday, April 21, Commissioner Jason Hightower, the county’s representative for that agency, told the commissioners that some of the issues in Washington will eventually affect the elderly services and meals provided by ECKAAA.

Hightower told the commissioners that there was uncertainty regarding the program. He said that all of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) staff has been let go, and that affects the Older Americans Act programs. He said that right now there is nobody overseeing those funds. He explained that is where a lot of the federal funding for the area agency on aging comes from. 

The Trump Administration through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) run by Elon Musk, has slashed hundreds of thousands of positions of government workers in several departments since January.

Hightower said that he was just letting them know that there was instability within the program due to the cuts happening in Washington. He said that ECKAAA is expecting financial hits and the possibility that more cuts will have to be made.

County Clerk Danielle Souza told the commissioners that Linn County had already received the budget request from ECKAAA for the 2026 year. She said they were asking for $45,000, which is the same as last year.

Souza explained that the request include $13,500 to be used as match for federal and state funding. Souza said that also included $31,500 to be used as a match for federal and state dollars to continue to serve congregate and home-delivered meals in Linn County.

Hightower reported that from October 2023 to September 2024 there were 18,019 total meals served in Linn County. He said that more than half of those were home-delivered and the rest of them were served at congregate meal sites. October to September is the fiscal year for ECKAAA.

He continued that from October 2024 to the end of March 2025, the total was 8,735 meals. Congregate meals made up 4,073 of that number and 4,698 home deliveries.

Hightower said that right now, Linn County is averaging 1,456 meals per month including congregate and home-delivered meals for this year. He said last year it would have been 1,500 meals per month, so the county is down about 50 per month.

Hightower explained that Linn County is paying $2.50 per meal. He said that did not include the site upkeep and utilities.  The salaries come out of ECKAAA funds.

At one time former Sheriff Kevin Friend had determined that, if the meals were produced at the sheriff’s department kitchen, the cost would be at least $6 per meal, he said.

Hightower said that with the rising costs of food and trays, ECKAAA is seeing the cost of meals at around $10 to $12 a meal. The federal funds from the Older Americans Act is making up the difference between the county’s $2.50 and the actual cost. 

In answer to a question by Commission Chair Jim Johnson, Souza explained the utilities and the property taxes for the buildings comes out of the county’s elderly care fund, which is part of the general fund. 

Hightower explained a misunderstanding that came about when a new staff member at ECKAAA sent out letters to asking for donations because March was National Meals on Wheels month.

Hightower said that in celebration of that designation that the agency usually asked for volunteers from government agencies to deliver meals on wheels. A person at the agency who was not familiar with the tradition and thought it was a fundraising campaign sent out letters asking for donations for the March for Meals campaign. He said that had been corrected and won’t happen again.