The Meals and Services for Seniors Coalition advocacy efforts have successfully added increased funding for the Senior Nutrition Program to the Human Services Omnibus bills in both the House and the Senate.
In the House bill, $4 million was added as a one-time appropriation. In the Senate, $16 million was added as a one-time appropriation. The Coalition has asked that $10M is added annually to the base allocation to meet the basic needs of older adults at greatest risk for food insecurity.
In a separate action, Rep. Erin Koegel of Spring Lake Park introduced H.F. 580, a bill that imposes a retail delivery fee of 75 cents per transaction on sales of tangible personal property when the items purchased are delivered to the purchaser. One percent of the revenue raised by the fee would be allocated to a newly established food delivery support account. It could help offset food delivery costs under the Senior Nutrition Program with an estimated value of $1.5 million.
We need your voice now!
You must make your voice heard this week before legislators go on Easter/Passover break. Read Dawn Simonson’s testimony to the Senate Human Services Committee on March 31 for talking points. Then Email your legislators and ask them to support ongoing funding for Meals for Seniors, HF2523 and SF2244. Use our Materials for Advocacy for support material.