Olneyites lobby for Meals on Wheels
Olney Senior Cub Center Director Angela Lockard and board member Valorie Mahler traveled to Austin last week to attend the 2025 Meals on Wheels Texas Conference and Expo. Their mission: to advocate for increased funding and to oppose proposed policies that could adversely affect local meal delivery services.
The conference provided a platform for representatives from various Meals on Wheels chapters across Texas to collaborate, share insights, and discuss strategies to enhance services for homebound seniors. Mrs. Lockard and Mrs. Mahler’s participation was made possible through a grant from the national Meals on Wheels organization.
During the Feb. 17-19 event, attendees engaged in a series of workshops and discussions focused on fundraising strategies, effective marketing, and the integration of evidence-based programs in “congregate” settings at senior centers.
The group is also urging lawmakers to increase funding for the Texans Feeding Texas program. This initiative, which supports meal services for low-income seniors and homebound individuals, operates on a $10 million annual budget serving residents across the state. Advocates are calling on the Legislature to allocate $25 million to the program, arguing that a portion of the state’s $20 billion budget surplus should be used to ensure that Texas seniors do not go hungry.
A highlight of the conference was a keynote address by Dr. Ed Berger, president of Southwestern University and CEO of the St. David’s Foundation, they said. Dr. Berger emphasized the importance of deeply understanding challenges and learning from failures to drive effective solutions.
Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, a longtime Meals on Wheel volunteer, also spoke to the group, emphasizing the value of the personal connections that the program brings to seniors.
“We were so inspired because they had all these things available... We opened our eyes to a lot more funding,” Mrs. Mahler said. “Networking with all these people from the state of Texas and Meals on Wheels helped us tremendously.”
They also learned about successful initiatives that could be adapted for the Olney community, including a program that provides pet food for low-income seniors and strategies for securing additional funding and expanding services.
A significant concern addressed during the conference was a proposed state policy to outsource the Meals on Wheels program to for-profit companies that would utilize drop-shipped meals.
Mrs. Lockard and Mrs. Mahler, along with other attendees, voiced strong opposition to this plan, arguing that it could undermine the personalized care and daily wellness checks that are integral to the current service model.
“The meals are drop shipped... The company could be in New York, Oklahoma. It’s not staying local,” Mrs. Lockard said.
The two also visited the Texas State Capitol to advocate for increased funding for senior nutrition programs. They met with legislators to discuss the challenges faced by rural programs like theirs and to highlight the critical need for sustained and enhanced support.
The trip proved to be both informative and inspiring for the Olney representatives.
Armed with new knowledge and fortified by a network of dedicated peers, they plan to implement new strategies to enhance the Meals on Wheels program in Olney and to bring in the next generation of volunteers.