THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 26, 1995 TAG: 9501260386
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBRA GORDON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 95 lines
The acrid odor of burning fat fills the overheated rooms of Eldora Cherry's small house. Cherry's been cooking again, trying to make her beloved cornbread.
``I wish she wouldn't try to cook,'' says Claudia Harding, rushing back to the kitchen, where she removes a smoking skillet of shortening from the gas flame. ``One day I'm going to come in here and find this place all burned up.''
It's to prevent such a tragedy that Harding brings the 70-year-old Portsmouth woman a hot lunch each weekday, provided by the SEVAMP Area Agency on Aging, for which Harding works.
Wednesday, the aluminum and cardboard container held piping hot beef stew, rice, okra and tomatoes and a roll. It also contained a bright yellow flier with the words ``Advocacy Alert,'' warning that current political proposals may end Cherry's hot meals.
Buried in the fine print of the Republican ``Contract With America,'' within the Personal Responsibility Act, is a provision to eliminate the Older Americans Act nutrition program. The 30-year-old program is instrumental in enabling frail elderly people to continue living in their homes, instead of in institutions.
The Republicans claim it would be more efficient to give block grants to states for federal food programs like food stamps andschool lunches.
But including senior nutrition programs with those income-based welfare programs would effectively shut out many senior citizens who now receive the meals, say advocates for the elderly. Only economically disadvantaged elders would qualify for the nutrition programs, and many need the meals, not because they can't afford to eat, but because they are physically unable to shop and cook for themselves.
And while the proposal spells out mandatory minimums each state must spend on some of the food programs, it does not specify a minimum allotment for elderly nutrition.
``States would have complete discretion over what programs get funded,'' said Janice Fiegener, legislative director for the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
About $1 million a year flows directly from the federal government to SEVAMP, the Southeastern Virginia Area-Wide Model Program, which last year fed 4,300 elderly people throughout Hampton Roads. There are no income limitations, and recipients pay for their meals on a sliding scale.
Fiegener fears this proposal is the first step towards dismantling the Older Americans Act altogether, because nutrition programs are the cornerstone of the act.
To defend the act, organizations that serve the aged have dubbed today congressional call-in day, urging constituents to call their legislators and tell them to keep the Older Americans Act whole. In some states, the elderly are mailing crumbs to their legislators to protest the proposed cuts.
On Wednesday, the 35 homebound seniors to whom Harding delivers meals were at first puzzled, then angry at the possibility of cuts.
``They're going to take my meals away?'' asked Cherry, holding onto the door and then the chair as she slowly made her way out of the still-smoky kitchen. ``They mean a whole lot to me.''
Without them, Cherry, paralyzed on one side, would try more cooking - a prospect that worries Harding.
Raymond Copeland, 68, who has been receiving hot lunches since he went blind 12 years ago, promised to have his homemaking aide dial legislators' numbers for him in the morning.
``I can't cook for myself,'' said the spare man with the ramrod-straight back. ``These meals hold me up and keep me going.''
Not all the meals Harding delivers are for the homebound. Thirty-five go to the Wesley Community Center in Portsmouth, where a group of women sits each day, playing dominoes and drinking coffee. They've been coming here for years, as much for the companionship as for the meals.
``The president spoke last night, and he didn't say anything about this,'' said Alice M. Hutcheson, 69, as she placed a domino on the growing line of them on the table. ``I guess we're just not important to him.'' ILLUSTRATION: BETH BERGMAN/Staff
Eldora Cherry, 70, right, with her sister Esther Barton, 80, relies
on the meals program because she has difficulty cooking.
Patricia Whitley, nutrition coordinator for SEVAMP services, talks
to Joanne Woods, 74.
CALL-IN-DAY
Agencies that work with the elderly are urging their constituents
to call legislators and ask them to protect the Older Americans Act.
They list the following legislators:
Sen. John Warner, 202-224-2023, or 441-3079
Sen. Charles S. Robb, 202-224-4024, or 441-3124
Rep. Owen B. Pickett, 202-225-4215, or 486-3710
Rep. Robert C. Scott, 202-225-8351, or 380-1000
Rep. Norman Sisisky, 202-225-6365, or 393-2068
by CNB