Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson & Ellis Counties Goes to Washington

Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson & Ellis Counties has been invited to appear before Congress on Tuesday, May 2, 2006, to provide testimony in regards to the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. There will be two panels of three people each before the committee, but Vinsen Faris, executive director, will be the only one representing an actual meals on wheels program.

Meals-on-Wheels currently receives pass-through federal monies from the Older Americans Act. Congress funds the programs in the act annually, such as meals on wheels. The act itself has to be reauthorized periodically, and changes and revisions are usually made each time it is reauthorized.

Faris was asked to testify because new language is being proposed regarding voluntary client donations. Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson & Ellis Counties has been way ahead of most meal programs in this area for years, and as it turns out, most programs in the country.

“I have long been a strong advocate for encouraging client donations. Unbelievably though, some states and some area agencies on aging have discouraged this. We actually have programs here in our region that do not encourage clients to donate for their meals!” said Faris.

This is quite an honor for Meals-on-Wheels to be asked to address the House Committee on Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Select Education. “I really think it is recognition of the good work we do here in Ellis and Johnson Counties,” added Faris.