Meals on Wheels hit with funding cuts

The Meals on Wheels program for Western South Dakota (MOWWSD) was hit with a budget cut for meals. The non-profit program helps provide seniors over 60 with cheap, home-cooked meals each weekday. In Murdo, those meals are served at the Senior Center, where local seniors rely on the meals each week.

The cut  significantly affected the Murdo program, causing the program to be $57,000 short in funding goals for 2024. With the manager, Lynne Kinsley, only just being told about the cut at the end of February, that leaves only about 9 months to raise the money.

The Meals on Wheels program at the Senior Center funnels the money they receive for each meal back into the cost of the next meal. They have been doing bake sales on the side for some extra funding, but it will not be enough to meet the funding goals for 2024.

Efforts are ongoing to bring awareness to the program to, hopefully, gain the attention of lawmakers and to bring in more donations and contributions. MOWWSD is using the hashtag #SAVELUNCH to bring awareness on platforms. The program is also urging supporters of the effort to write a message to their elected officials on the back of paper plates, telling them how important the lunch is to our seniors and how the program has impacted the community. The program needs a $1 increase in funding for each meal that is reimbursed. Every voice matters. Tell your elected officials to increase the funding for Meals on Wheels.