Meals On Wheels in Tarrant County is ‘very concerned’ about Trump’s federal grant pause
After President Donald Trump ordered a sweeping pause in federal grants, one Tarrant County nonprofit is updating residents on their status.
The pause on federal grants and loans, which was expected to start Tuesday, left many local and state agencies and organizations scrambling to understand the immediate impacts. A federal judge temporarily blocked part of the freeze late in the day.
Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County is among those groups that sought clarification on the order and how the pause in funding could impact the organization that feeds many homebound residents.
“As you can imagine, we’re very concerned about this action and are awaiting more information,” said Keith Harrison, organization vice president of communication and marketing, in a press release. “We’ve already reached out to some of our local officials asking for a clarification.”
Later Tuesday, Harrison sent out an update.
“Late this afternoon, the President’s Office of Management and Budget issued a memo providing additional information related to the Executive Order pausing federal grants. In part, it states that, ‘any program that provides direct benefits to individuals is not subject to the pause.’
“While there is still a lot of confusion, it appears on the surface that this ‘pause’ may not impact Meals On Wheels. I am confident that we will receive more clarity in the coming days and hope to be able to report with confidence that our federal funding will continue without interruption.’
About 37% of Meals On Wheels funding nationwide comes from federal grants.
In a statement Tuesday, the CEO of the national organization said the uncertainty over funding “is creating chaos” for local providers.
“Despite not knowing how this pause will impact their future funding, they continue to deliver meals and moments of connection to seniors in their communities. The possibility of a service interruption unfortunately means seniors may panic not knowing where their next meals will come from,” said President and CEO Ellie Hollander.
“Largely speaking, local providers don’t have the ability to absorb a blow like this if it persists for any extended period. And vulnerable seniors can’t wait for the nutrition assistance and social connections they desperately need.”
Meals On Wheels America and Meals On Wheels Texas are working with elected officials at the state and federal level to emphasize the importance of the program, Harrison said.
Several people have reached out about how to help the Tarrant County organization, Harrison said.
“I want to acknowledge the outpouring of care and support we have received from so many of you. It is heartwarming to know that you are standing with us in our fight against senior hunger.”
This story was originally published January 28, 2025 at 2:29 PM.
