HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/18/2026 Item 6a, Murphy
Ashley Murphy <
To:Advisory Bodies
Subject:Public Comment _ Feb. 18th
Hi,
Meals That Connect wishes to provide public comment at the February 18 meeting concerning Action
Item 6a: the reallocation of $15,000 from the 2025–26 Human Services Grant.
Thank you,
Meals that Connect
Impact on Seniors and Preventing Homelessness
Impact of Daily Meals from Meals that Connect
• Supports Independent Living: Daily nutritious meals help seniors and vulnerable adults maintain their
health, allowing them to safely remain in their homes.
• Reduces Risk of Homelessness: Consistent meal delivery provides stability for clients who might
otherwise struggle to meet basic needs, lowering the likelihood of housing loss.
• Promotes Health & Safety: Proper nutrition reduces hospitalizations, falls, and medical
complications, preventing costly institutional care that can lead to housing instability.
• Enhances Social Connection: Daily delivery offers a personal check-in, helping to identify urgent
needs early and connect clients to additional services before crises escalate.
• Cost-Effective Prevention: Supporting seniors at home is significantly less expensive than emergency
shelter, hospitalization, or long-term institutional care.
• Supports Caregivers: Reliable meal access enables family and community caregivers to help seniors
remain housed and stable longer.
Key Statistics – Adults Age 60+
1
United States
• 55.8 million Americans are age 65+ (approximately 1 in 6 Americans).
• 7.4 million seniors (age 60+) experienced food insecurity in 2023.
California
• More than 9 million residents are age 60+.
• Approximately 8.8% of Californians age 60+ are food insecure.
San Luis Obispo County
• Approximately 23% of the population is age 65+.
• 1,175 individuals were experiencing homelessness in the most recent Point-in-Time Count.
• 29% of people experiencing homelessness locally are age 55 or older.
How Food Security Prevents Homelessness Among Seniors
• Nutritious meals prevent medical crises that often lead to loss of housing.
• Food security reduces financial strain caused by emergency medical costs.
• Stable access to meals allows seniors to allocate limited income toward rent and utilities.
• Daily check-ins through meal delivery identify problems early, preventing crises.
• Food access strengthens caregiver support systems, helping seniors age safely in place.
Summary
Providing daily meals through Meals that Connect is a direct, cost-effective homelessness prevention
strategy. By ensuring nutrition, stability, and social connection, the program enables older adults to
remain safely in their homes while reducing healthcare and housing system costs for the broader
community.
Ashley Murphy
Grants & Communication
Manager
To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented
automatic download of this picture from the Internet.
(805) 541-3312 x100
To To To
helhelhel
p p p
propropro
tectectec
t t t
ashley@mealsthatconnect.org
yyy
www.mealsthatconnect.org
265 South St. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Bringing Dignity and Respect to Seniors in SLO County Since 1991
2