Congresswoman Castor speaks out against proposed cuts to Meals on Wheels

Updated on September 21, 2017

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – For 35 years, Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Paul Jeske has been donating his time to help senior citizens.

Jeske volunteers for the Meals on Wheels program, bringing hot meals and a warm smile to senior citizens every week.

For Jeske, the effort began one day when he saw an elderly woman standing on the side of the road. Something just didn’t look right to him.

“It was starting to rain. I grabbed an umbrella out of my car and when I got over she was crying and said, ‘all I want to do is get something to eat,’” said Jeske.

The effort didn’t stop with helping one woman across the street. He called the Meals on Wheels program and arranged to have food brought to her on a regular basis.

He then decided to volunteer for the program and he’s been doing it ever since.

Meals on Wheels in Tampa brings 750 hot meals to seniors in Tampa five days a week.

The program receives private donations for much of its operations, but around the country, many Meals on Wheels programs rely on federal community block grants to operate.

This year, President Trump proposed major cuts to the community block grant program and to the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program.

Thursday, Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor went along with Judge Jeske to help deliver meals, to learn about the importance of the program and to speak out against the proposed Trump cuts.

“It’s not just the nutrition. It’s the every day interactions. It’s the relationships they have that are ongoing and now the need is so great, because a lot of our neighbors are living longer,” said Castor.

She believes cutting back on the program would impact many seniors.

“So we are going to stand up to fight it in a very bi-partisan way. I do not think those kind of cuts will survive, but there is a lot at stake,” said Castor.

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About Meals On Wheels of Tampa:
Meals On Wheels of Tampa has been committed to nourishing and enriching the independent lives of the homebound and seniors of Tampa since 1975. Today, Meals On Wheels of Tampa serves over 700 people with a hot meal during the lunch hour. Meals On Wheels of Tampa is a 4-star charity and relies on its community for support by not accepting government funding.