Thinking About Health: Meal programs struggle as funding dwindles

Two years ago in Dallas I met an 85-year-old woman and her 65-year-old son. Both were very hungry with almost no food in their fridge or in their cupboards. After they had paid their bills, their meager monthly income from Social Security was dwindling. For lunch, the mother wanted boiled cabbage with lima beans and collards, but the son reminded her there was no money for it. It was the second week of the month.

They had been on waiting list for food from the Visiting Nurse Association of Texas, the Meals-on-Wheels provider in Dallas. About 800 names were on the list the day I visited.

Indeed...