CALL TO ACTION: Meals on Wheels advocacy (Shared with CAADS March 21, 2017) Please see the 6 Call to Action bullet points below. While the intended audience of this Call to Action is Meals on Wheels Providers and programs, ANYONE who cares about senior meals can follow these guidelines and advocate MARCH 20, 2017 WASHINGTON UPDATE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON BUDGET RESPONSE TOOLKIT Following the release of the President's proposed Budget last week, Meals on Wheels programs
nationwide have been placed in the national spotlight, so it's time to put this extra public attention to
good use. This week, as Meals on Wheels programs from across the country participate in
Community Champions Week, it's more important than ever for you to get out there and enlist
elected officials, local celebrities and other prominent community figures to deliver meals, speak out
for seniors and raise awareness for the incredible work you do to ensure that seniors are not
hungry, forgotten or left behind.
BUDGET RESPONSE RESOURCES Below are several actions your program can take to mobilize your supporters and a toolkit of
resources to help you navigate the impact of the proposed budget along the way.
 Call the President and Members of Congress - We've heard from many
advocates that they've encountered full voicemail boxes when reaching out to
Members of Congress, and that some offices are closed, requesting that advocates
call back. Don't be discouraged; maintain your momentum, and keep making
constituent calls. Encourage your volunteers, clients and supporters to do the same!
Whether it's the Office of the President, a congressional office or a call to the state
capitol, all of your elected officials need to hear your voices and your stories about
why Meals on Wheels programs are crucial to meeting the needs of a fast-growing
senior population. Resources to help you make calls to the President and Members
of Congress can be found here. 
Stay Active on Social Media - Across all social media platforms, we've seen a huge
outpouring of support, and we need your help to keep that drumbeat going. Here are
a few sample tweets and Facebook/Instagram posts you can use to support your
social media advocacy. Plus, feel free to use our social media-ready images to
complement your posts. And, don't forget about our #MarchforMeals social media
resources, available here.
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Check Out Media Coverage for Your Use - Numerous media outlets have covered
the news surrounding the impact that the President's proposed Budget would have
on Meals on Wheels, both locally and nationally. We've pulled together a collection
of some of the coverage from the last few days that did an excellent job of explaining
the current situation and its impact on Meals on Wheels, including several interviews
with local Member programs across the country. Take a look at these pieces to
inform yourself further, and consider sharing them throughout your networks.
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Meals On Wheels Is Working For Everyone
Meals on Wheels America's President and CEO, Ellie Hollander, contributed
a blog post to Huffington Post.
Interview with Allison Foreman of the Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels
CNN spoke with the Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels program.
Trump Plan Would Cut Pueblo's Meals on Wheels 60 Percent
The Senior Resource Development Agency – which runs a local program in
Pueblo, Colorado – spoke with the press about their program.
Meals on Wheels Prepares for Possible Cuts
Media spoke with Pasco County's Elderly Nutrition Department about how
they're dealing with proposed budget cuts.
Meals on Wheels Central Texas Says Proposed Federal Cuts Would Impact
Seniors in Need
The Meals on Wheels Central Texas local program spoke about the impact of
proposed cuts on the seniors they serve.
Ashley McCumber of Meals on Wheels San Francisco on CNN Tonight
Meals on Wheels America's Board Chairman appeared on CNN.
Interview with CNN
Meals on Wheels America President and CEO spoke to CNN about the
economic benefits of Meals on Wheels services.
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Share National Talking Points - News stories have been circulating about local
Meals on Wheels programs, their funding sources and Meals on Wheels America's
funding sources, but not all of the stories have been reported accurately. You can
refer to the statement we released to help clarify some of the most common
misconceptions we've seen and heard related to this issue. You can also read our
official statement in response to the President's Budget Blueprint here.
While there's been a recent uptick in donations across the country, this cannot
replace funding that comes from the federal government. We know that the
challenges we face with meeting the growing need will take all of us – federal, state
and local governments, businesses, and private citizens alike – working together to
ensure that America's seniors will not be hungry or left behind in the future. In fact,
the nationwide network is serving 23 million fewer meals today, due to stagnant
funding, than in 2005. It would take an influx of millions of dollars just to get back to
the level we were over a decade ago.
It is likely that your program has been contacted by the press, so we've compiled
some high-level talking points that you can use for support in order to keep our
messaging consistent across the network. You can also look to some of the media
coverage above for guidance.
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Understand the FY 2018 Appropriations Process - Meals on Wheels America
President and CEO, Ellie Hollander provided written testimony to the U.S. House
Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and
Related Agencies urging increased funding for OAA Nutrition Programs in the
coming Fiscal Year, as well as reiterating our call to adopt the Fiscal Year 2017
funding levels approved by the House Appropriations Committee last summer,
before the April deadline. You can read our written testimony here and view an
appropriations table here.
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Support Advocacy with Fact Sheets - The new 2017 National Fact Sheet is now
available. This resource – intended to educate potential donors, supporters and
policymakers on the challenges of senior hunger, isolation and poverty in our country
today – also highlights the tremendous value of Meals on Wheels and the Older
Americans Act, and how they're a critical part of the solution. Feel free to reference
or share the National Fact Sheet to spread word about Meals on Wheels' positive
impact, and keep an eye out for our 2017 State Fact Sheets, which will be
released in the next few days!
QUESTIONS? If you have any press questions, please reach out to mailto:[email protected].
If you have any advocacy questions, please reach out directly to our Advocacy Team:
Erika Kelly, Chief Advocacy and Government Affairs Officer
[email protected] or 571-339-1604
Crystal Espie, Public Policy Manager
[email protected] or 571-339-1613
For the latest advocacy and legislative news, follow Erika Kelly on Twitter: @NoSeniorHungry.
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