State agency reverses Tarrant County Meals on Wheels funding cut
The Brief
Tarrant County Meals on Wheels will no longer face $450,000 in funding cuts.
The cut would have affected five programs that assisted the organization's clients.
The Tarrant County operation is unsure why the cut was reversed by the state.
TARRANT COUNTY, Texas - State Health and Human Services Department officials have reversed course on a $450,000 funding cut to Tarrant County Meals on Wheels.
It would have cut five services, including a program called "Home Meds" that aimed to keep any harmful food or drug reactions among clients receiving meals at bay.
Other services to be impacted would have included nutrition counseling, social reassurance, participant assessment and transportation.
The new cut would have been in addition to a $1.6 million cut from October, as well as confusion caused by federal funding freezes earlier this year.
Funding cut reversal
What they're saying
We spoke with Philip Gonzalez, a spokesperson for Tarrant County Meals on Wheels, about the reversal.
"We really don't know the heart of why it happened, it just did," Gonzalez said. "But at the same time, we're glad whoever was in charge decided to say, 'hey, there's a lot of people going to be affected by this, and let's go ahead and restore it and make sure the seniors, especially here in Tarrant County, are taken care of.'"
Gonzalez said the organization had no control over the potential loss of the funding, which he says would have affected multiple services, including wellness check-ins and client transportation to and from activity centers.
"The transportation issue of getting all of our seniors to our activity centers where they can socialize and get that meal every day, specifically those two," Gonzalez said. "There were five total, but we were really concerned about all five. It would have been a tremendous setback."
Why the change?
The Tarrant County operation received communication on Monday from the Area Agency on Aging, the entity that disperses the federal funding which is funneled through the state.
There's not much clarity about why federal funding was restored, but the notice does confirm the following:
"They will proceed with the full release of FY2025 funding to ensure services continue without interruption […] While the exact timing of the funding release remains uncertain, we've been informed that more details will be available in the coming weeks."
What you can do
For information on how you can volunteer with Tarrant County Meals on Wheels, click here.
The Source
Information for this article comes from Tarrant County Meals on Wheels and the Area Agency on Aging.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Former La Masia midfielder forced to retire at 23 due to heart condition
Former La Masia midfielder forced to retire at 23 due to heart condition Joan Gonzalez, once regarded as one of La Masia's most promising young midfielders, has been forced to retire from professional football at just 23 years of age, reports MARCA. The decision comes after doctors at Italian club Lecce discovered a congenital heart condition during routine preseason medical checks ahead of the 2024/25 season. Advertisement Sadly, the nature of the condition makes it impossible for Gonzalez to continue playing at the highest level. Since the diagnosis, Gonzalez has not played a single minute this season. Despite undergoing a year's worth of examinations and specialised tests, the outlook has not changed. Lecce president Saverio Sticchi Damiani confirmed the unfortunate news in a public statement, stating, 'We called him back after a year for a new check-up, which took place a few days ago, and the situation remains the same. 'So, with great regret, I must tell you that he will not receive a definitive medical clearance and will no longer be able to play football at a professional level.' A career filled with promise and passion Joan Gonzalez has been forced into retirement. (Photo by) Born in Barcelona and trained at clubs like Cornella, FC Barcelona, and Lecce's youth academy, Gonzalez made a name for himself as a physically strong and technically gifted pivot. Advertisement After switching from La Masia to Lecce in 2021, he steadily worked his way into the Italian side's first team. In Serie A, Gonzalez made 44 appearances. During this time, he scored two goals and assisted four more, establishing himself as a reliable and talented midfield option for Lecce. Although his career has been cut short far too early, Gonzalez leaves the game with his head held high. He overcame countless challenges to reach the top, and even though his professional journey ends here, his story will remain one of inspiration and perseverance for future young players coming through La Masia and beyond.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Queens great-grandma beaten by unhinged woman on NYC subway train can't shake feeling attacker is still ‘behind' her: ‘I heard ‘bop!'
A great-grandmother from Queens who was badly beaten by an unhinged woman in a Midtown subway station last month is frightened to ride the rails after the harrowing unprovoked beating, she told The Post. Aurore Gonzalez, 73 — who was allegedly pummeled by Marie McWilliams, 36, May 1 — said she can't shake the terrifying feeling that her attacker is still right 'behind' her. 'She hit me as I was stepping off the train and I heard 'bop!'' she told The Post Tuesday, the same day McWilliams was arrested for assault. 'Then I started falling backwards and sliding, and I fell into homeless person's belongings covered in feces,' she said. Weeks after the nightmarish ordeal, Gonzalez said she still suffers from sleeplessness and anxiety. 'I still take the subway and I look around now,' said Gonzalez, who has five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. '[I'm] looking behind my head all the time. I'm looking for her.' Gonzalez was riding the Manhattan-bound E train to her job cleaning law offices at around 4:30 p.m when she allegedly heard McWilliams jabbering racist comments to herself. 'She was just talking loud to herself about Puerto Ricans and blacks and saying that they're no good and that they shouldn't be here!' said Gonzalez. Gonzalez, who is Hispanic, said she turned around and asked the erratic straphanger, 'Are you talking to me?!' McWilliams 'didn't say anything' but followed her as she stepped off the train at the Fifth Avenue-53rd Street station — and then she pounced, repeatedly punching her, she said. 'When I was stepping off the train she hit me in the back of the head,' she said. 'She grabbed my bun…and she started scratching me with a blade on my face,' said Gonzalez, who still had two black eyes from the assault Tuesday. 'I [was] bleeding and I fell into a homeless person's crap and I had to go to my job,' she said. Gonzalez said she now suffers from kidney trouble due to the fall, along with scarring near her eye and migraine headaches. 'This just isn't right. I'm in pain. I have to be on painkillers,' said Gonzalez. 'I couldn't sleep for two weeks. The anxiety, I couldn't eat. At night on my job I would just cry,' said Gonzalez. Asked about her attacker's arrest, Gonzalez said she's 'relieved.' 'I am so happy to hear this. I will testify! She should not have done that. She should keep her hands to herself!' Gonzalez said. 'Have some respect for older people!' McWilliams was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday and granted supervised release by Judge Marva Brown over prosecutors' request for $10,000 cash bail or $30,000 bond.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Senior farmers market voucher distributions cancelled
(WBRE/WYOU) — According to the Area Agency on Aging, the first two Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) voucher distribution events have been cancelled. The announcement comes because the agency has not yet received the vouchers. It was previously revealed that federal funding for the vouchers has been cut. The first two Luzerne/Wyoming County distribution events have been cancelled, including the June 3 event at Misericordia University's MacDowell Hall and the June 5 Kingston Active Adult Center. Woman shot by police while allegedly attacking civilian In Lackawanna County alone, 38,000 farmers market vouchers were requested by the county's agency on aging, the agency in charge of distributing them. Due to the cuts to federal spending, they'll only be getting around 29,000. Under the State Department of Agriculture program, residents over 60 who fall within the program's income requirements are eligible to receive up to five $5 vouchers each to spend at local farmers' markets. For the full list of voucher distribution dates, visit the Luzerne County Area Agency on Aging. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
