Oklahoma Receives $1.2 Million for Senior Nutrition Programs

OKLAHOMA CAPITOL -- Oklahoma’s Area Agencies on Aging are being notified today about the distribution of nearly $1.2 million in funds they will be receiving soon as a result of the recently passed American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.
Oklahoma Department of Human Services officials were notified late Wednesday about the state’s share of the $100 million that was being allocated through the Older Americans Act nutrition program,  administered though the Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"This is good news, really good news for our state and those who work daily in the senior nutrition services programs,” said OKDHS Aging Services Division Director Lance Robertson. "These funds will also help ensure continuation of these nutrition services to older recipients, many of whom are facing difficult times during the current state of the national economy."

The funds will be distributed through Oklahoma’s 11 Area Agencies on Aging to senior nutrition programs that provide congregate and home-delivered meals to older adults through 234 locations across the state. They collectively serve about 23,000 free meals daily to Oklahoma senior citizens -- around six million meals annually.

The money will be divided with $784,386 going to congregate meal programs and $386,159 for home delivered meal programs. OKDHS officials say the funding will help meet the needs of Oklahoma’s growing senior population.

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