Are public donations to Meals on Wheels the answer?

[TNNurse]

Just saw a post on FB by a very liberal site cheering the increase in donations to Meals on Wheels. I disagreed that this was the way to go. Sure there are donations NOW, will they continue, will they be the answer? This needs ongoing, consistent government support. This just encourages the heartless bastards that they are correct. So are there companion donations to school lunch and after school programs.? So far others seem to agree with me.

[shraby]

1. For programs that need to be consistent in delivery of anything, government funding is

what will keep them consistent and adjustable to future needs. No other way is acceptable.

Donations that depend on the whims and pocketbooks of the general public would be too erratic and undependable.
Look at any disaster that occurs. Even the volunteer help and donations are gone after a couple of weeks. When the newspapers move on so do volunteers and donations.

[Eliot Rosewater]

2. This excuse will be used to eliminate ALL programs that help the poor.

It is just a matter of time, it is all going away and soon.

People like fuckface actually hate poor and old people, they do. They want them gone.

[unitedwethrive]

5. Exactly, they want to "privatize" all social programs

Which everyone understands is not sustainable. All it does is turn these programs into a tax for the compassionate, and greatly increases the overhead of the organization which has to expand to include fundraising costs.

[rusty fender]

7. Private funding sources for helping the poor

was the philosophy of the Reagan administration. Twitler admin doesn't care at all if the poor get help from private donors, but the private sector cannot fund every anti-poverty program

[yeoman6987]

8. The biggest problem is once they disappear from the budget,

It's hard as heck to get back in the budget. The only way is a democratic congress and president by 2020 and even then it may be difficult. The whole thing is a possible disaster. I say possible because nothing has been signed and a lot of trumps budget will not pass.

[OldHippieChick]

3. Besides the problems listed above, it is

also true that Meals is not the only program that will be cut. This means the number of private funds and volunteers available will be spread even thinner. We cannot privately support all these programs, which is why we need public support.

[malthaussen]

4. Look at their budget yourself, and draw your own conclusions:

http://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/docs/default-source/fact-sheets/2012/mow-factsheet-national2016.pdf?sfvrsn=2

In 2016, 37% of their funding came from Federal programs. These programs are looking at a 17% cut under the proposed budget. You do the arithmetic.

I agree that any increase in donations will just prove to the budget-slashers that they are "right." They want to minimize any Federal spending on anything other than "defense" and "security." Of course, these are the big-ticket items that mean fat profits to their corporate overlords. They apparently do not think that the Articles of Confederation were a failure.



-- Mal

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Federal funding is consistent and reliable.q

If you solely have public donations, the amounts can always drop depending if there is a financial crisis in the country and the program can falter and lapse.

[iamateacher]

9. Meals on Wheels programs are local programs.

There is no huge national agency running them. My MOW group does not need federal or state money....We are mostly in a middle class area
and get community donations. The Meals on Wheels that are in low income areas are the ones getting government funds. You can't expect those communities to supply the missing federal funds. So which MOW organizations will go under? Those in low income areas...

[kcr]

10. The focus needs to be on the budget cuts. Hit them hard on that, every time.

I was actually arguing with DUers who were buying some of the right wing fake news-ifying of this story the when it broke because people just don't get this. But even our side is weak on this anymore. You wouldn't think you'd find people at a website for Democrats who don't think it's a big deal that funding is being lost because hey! They get donations! But, there we are in 2016, where it isn't about the actual policies. It's about what team you're on and the avatar you sport.