FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Skagit County Commissioners Remain Committed to Senior Services and Meals on Wheels
The Board of Skagit County Commissioners has issued the following statement regarding senior centers and Meals on Wheels services in Skagit County.
“Skagit County is proud to operate senior centers across our community, which provide Meals on Wheels and important programming opportunities for our seniors. The ability to share hot meals, both via delivery and congregate meals in our centers, gives seniors with limited ability to cook or leave their house unassisted a sense of connection and safety. We are incredibly aware of the impact of these services in the senior community and the documented benefits of senior programs on their health and well-being. The Public Health Senior Services Division has done an incredible job partnering with our cities and nonprofit organizations to ensure these services are successful.
The Meals on Wheels program is partially funded through the Older Americans Act, which allocates approximately one-third of the funding required for providers to operate the program in individual communities. The Older Americans Act has provided this funding for over 40 years; however, there have been no inflationary increases to the allocations, which has led to a growing dependence on local funds. To supplement this funding, Meals on Wheels operators must fundraise or find other dollars to meet the need in our community. Skagit County has been able to fundraise each year for Meals on Wheels, and we could not be more thankful for the staff and community members for supporting this program. Counties do not receive any additional state or federal funding to support senior center operations or programming. Senior centers are paid for with county general fund dollars along with support from local cities either through funding or facilities.
Unfortunately, we are facing a very difficult budget reality for 2026. The demand for senior services and the cost for staffing and food in our area has continued to outpace the available funding we receive from Northwest Regional Council (NWRC) and fundraising opportunities throughout the year. Additionally, the Mount Vernon Senior Center facility is in dire need of repair or replacement. The County has been searching for an alternative space to host the Mount Vernon facility for the last few years; however, the repair and potential replacement costs have been prohibitive. The Mount Vernon Senior Center is the only facility owned by the County. The other three senior center facilities are owned by the local city jurisdiction.
Senior services and the Meals on Wheels program are estimated to cost the County over $1.7M in 2026 alone. This represents a more than 100% increase in program cost over the last ten years. In the development of our draft 2026 budget, we have requested our Public Health staff to evaluate how we can best maintain these important services to our seniors, while also ensuring we can adopt a balanced budget for 2026.
Let us be very clear, there have been no discussions proposing to close senior centers or end the Meals on Wheels program. We are committed to ensuring these services continue in Skagit County, but the budget impact of these programs has been significant over the last five years. We have requested Public Health review the impact of either reducing hot meal deliveries and/or programming, and to reach out to NWRC to request they evaluate the option of having a nonprofit organization operate the Meals on Wheels contract. The information we have requested from Public Health does not constitute a final decision by the Board as more discussions with partners and stakeholders need to be had before any changes would be made.
A partnership between local nonprofits and Skagit County operated senior centers could help share the costs and ensure meals and congregate settings are maintained in the community. Skagit County is one of just four counties in Washington state providing Meals on Wheels. All other counties have contracted nonprofit organizations providing Meals on Wheels, as they have much more flexibility with funding than local governments, which benefits the sustainability of the program. We have communicated to Public Health that the county is committed to providing substantial notice and support if a transition were to occur.
As we know more about next steps, we will communicate that information to the public and any upcoming opportunities to participate in a public hearing.”
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