A vital lifeline for homebound seniors in North Miami and nearby areas, including El Portal, Miami Shores, and North Miami Beach, is now in jeopardy as a local social services agency faces another sudden funding cut. The move threatens to leave elderly residents hungry, isolated, and without the essential care they depend on to survive.
“We improve quality of life, alleviate food insecurity, and provide one-third of the recommended daily nutritional intake through our meal programs,” said Michael McDearmaid, president of the North Miami Foundation for Senior Citizens’ Services, Inc.
The nonprofit organization, which has served seniors for more than 50 years, helps residents of northeast Miami-Dade County maintain their independence and enhance their quality of life through a holistic network of social services. Their most vital service is delivering meals to homebound seniors, twice a day, seven days a week, including holidays. Last year, they served more than 750 older adults. But with mounting political and budget pressures, this lifeline may soon be at risk.
The federal government has been cutting funds for programs that support health and human services, where the agency has already lost federal funds due to cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency, said McDearmaid. On top of that, there is a new tax plan proposed by House Republicans that seeks to cut down on nutrition support services by revoking $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), where food stamps might be totally eliminated.
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These shifts will mean local agencies will rely more on the states to pick up the funding gaps for programs being eliminated at the federal level.
However, Florida’s proposed budget includes a $260.8 million cut to community public health programs, threatening vital services for organizations like the North Miami Foundation for Senior Citizens’ Services, which relies on state funding to deliver daily meals and nutrition support to vulnerable seniors.
“It’s going to create a big void if we don't continue to receive our funding from the state, which is the primary source for our food programs,” said Bob Cook, the organization’s executive director. The funding cuts would eliminate more than half of its budget and significantly impact its daily operations, he said.
“We don’t want to have to redesign our food program, where instead of giving food seven days a week, we do three,” said Cook. “We are a very small non-profit, but we have a very significant impact on the community here,” he added. Cook said the organization is comprised of six staff members and a board of community volunteers.
Linda Kanny, 83, a retired teacher is one of the seniors who relies on services from the agency. Seven years ago, she had an accident that left her C2, the second vertebrae down from her brain, broken.
“I can’t do what I used to do,” said Kanny. “I have a screw on my neck, and I can’t move my hand. The meals I get help because I have physical problems. I’m lucky to still be here. But I’m worried about what can happen in the future if that goes away.”
Another client the agency supports, Francesca Cardoso, 65, needed assistance after she stopped working to take care of her elderly parents and sick husband.
“First, it was my mother, who developed Alzheimer's and was epileptic,” said Cardoso. “Then my dad developed cancer, and he wasn’t able to take care of himself.”
Cardoso sought the agency’s help to look after her parents until her husband had a heart attack and became very ill.
“He was homebound, needed oxygen, and was in a wheelchair,” she said. “I had to take over and stop working, juggling between the three of them. I would have never made it if it weren’t for the association's help. They helped when I couldn’t be there and guided me through it all, especially when I had nobody to turn to because I was unfamiliar with all of it.”
The agency hosted its annual breakfast meeting on May 19, where state Rep. Marie Woodson said the funding cuts for seniors is an issue she takes personally, and she will advocate for a better quality of life for them in the House’s budget discussions.
“My father died two months before I got elected, and the last thing he told me was that when I get elected, to make sure I advocate for the seniors,” Woodson said. “I take it very seriously because my father was my idol; he made me who I am.”
“I promise that I will fight for this money for North Miami because I’m not only the ranking member of the Healthcare Committee, but also a member of the overall project committee for the state of Florida,” she said. “We need to elevate the seniors, the veterans, the families who are in need because they might need the help today, but somebody else could be in that position tomorrow.”
Florida’s budget is still up in the air. Lawmakers missed their early May deadline, and a standoff between the House and Senate has delayed critical decisions — including funding for community health programs. On May 13, the House voted to extend the session to June 30, but the Senate hasn’t signed off yet. Until they do, the future of vital services for vulnerable communities remains uncertain.
In the midst of an onslaught of funding cuts, McDearmaid said they are coming together with other local social agencies and building a local front to strategize a way to continue their services if the funding cuts are enacted.
“We really need to look at everything as a united collaborative effort, you know, that whole thing about it takes a village,” said McDearmaid. “In many ways, it’s the same idea, it’s the coming together of the village, the grassroots people, to work collaboratively and deal with this crisis.”
This story was produced by Biscayne Times, a monthly news magazine serving Biscayne Corridor neighborhoods from Downtown Miami to Aventura, as part of a content sharing partnership with the WLRN newsroom. Read more at biscaynetimes.com.
