FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Jaclyn Miller
Director of Marketing and Communications
503.953.8104
[email protected]
Federal Cuts Threaten Essential Services for Older Adults
Meals on Wheels People Calls for Urgent Community Support
(April 3, 2025 – Portland, OR) — In a sweeping and unexpected move, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has laid off nearly 40% of the staff at the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the federal agency responsible for overseeing and supporting vital programs for older adults. The decision effectively shuttered ACL’s regional offices and jeopardizes the administration of critical services funded through the Older Americans Act.
“These are not just cuts — this is the dismantling of an entire system built to care for our aging population,” said Suzanne Washington, CEO of Meals on Wheels People. “The ACL is the backbone of support for millions of older adults across the country. These sudden layoffs will have real and devastating consequences right here in our community.”
Meals on Wheels People serves nearly 9,000 older adults annually across the Portland-Vancouver metro area, delivering meals and social connection to some of the region’s most vulnerable residents. The organization is sounding the alarm on how these federal actions will disrupt funding distribution, reduce program oversight, and threaten services that keep older adults safe, nourished, and independent.
“Communities across the country are reeling,” Washington said. “We are calling on our neighbors, our partners, and our elected leaders to step up. These decisions will have real consequences for real people — and we need our community’s support to continue showing up for them.”
Meals on Wheels People is calling on the community for immediate support. With the sudden loss of federal oversight and capacity, the organization is facing growing pressure to meet rising needs with fewer resources. Now more than ever, community support is critical to helping Meals on Wheels People stay strong and continue providing the essential services so many older adults rely on.
For interviews with Suzanne Washington or additional information about how these changes are affecting our community, please contact Jaclyn Miller at 503-953-8104 or [email protected].
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About Meals on Wheels People
Meals on Wheels People has been changing lives, one meal at a time, since 1970. We provide meals and human connection to thousands of older adults and families in the greater Portland metro and Vancouver areas. Our services alleviate hunger and social isolation and empower older adults to live independently with dignity in their own homes. For more information, visit mowp.org.