(KNSI) – Catholic Charities is warning that it is being forced to drastically reduce its Senior Dining Program for this year.
The nonprofit says most of the funding comes through a contract with the Central Minnesota Council on Aging. They get money from the federal government thanks to a 1965 law called the Older Americans Act. A change in how money is allocated means Catholic Charities will see funding cut back by 108,000 meals plus a drop of $420,000.
Catholic Charities Senior Dining will close the congregate meal and satellite sites in Big Lake, Howard Lake, and Rush City and axe frozen meal distributions in Brainerd, Braham, Hinckley, Little Falls, Long Prairie, Mora, Princeton, Rush City, and Willow River. This will significantly shrink the nonprofit’s footprint across its 14-county service area.
Staff are providing customers at the closed sites with more information about other nearby resources and the financial assistance options available through county and local governments. In 2023, Catholic Charities aided over 5,350 people with 389,577 meals. It says need continues to explode at a time when funding is being slashed.
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