Golden Diners money situation improves somewhat

Things are looking somewhat better financially for the Golden Diners meal delivery program since the state has paid “a good-sized chunk” of what it owes the agency, according to the program’s administrator.

Salvation Army Maj. Ken Nicolai said the state now owes the Geneva-based senior nutrition program about $30,000, as opposed to the $70,000 it owed Jan. 1. The church runs the Golden Diners program in Kane and McHenry counties.

In January, Nicolai announced Golden Diners would stop delivering a second meal it brought to some clients, because of a lack of money. The state hadn’t reimbursed the agency since July 1. Coupled with reduced payments from clients, less money from the federal government and fewer donations, the agency found itself unable to pay its food supplier in December. It could only pay one-third of the bill on time.

The second meal was for people judged to be especially at risk of malnutrition.

The state’s payment enabled Golden Diners to catch up on its food vendor bill. It still owes money on an internal loan made by the church, Nicolai said. Once that is repaid, and if the state continues to pay its bills, Golden Diners will consider resuming the second meal, he said.

But he is waiting to see if he gets a check at the end of April, and for how much. “We never know how it is going to work,” Nicolai said.

Golden Diners is part of the federal Older Americans Act Nutrition Program, and the federal money is funneled through the Northeast Illinois Area on Agency. More than 1,100 clients get a hot meal five days a week, and 120 of them used to also receive a cold meal, typically a sandwich and fruit.

The home-delivery program is for people unable to operate a stove or microwave oven, or go to a grocery store or food pantry.

About half of the $1.6 million annual budget comes from the federal government. The rest comes from the state reimbursement, townships, the United Way, private donations and client fees.

Golden Diners also operates a dining center program, where people can gather for meals. That does not rely on state funding, and has a separate budget.

Nicolai has a new worry: Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed a 20 percent cut in the budget for community-care programs such as Golden Diners.

“We all know the state has to pay less,” Nicolai said, acknowledging the need of budget cuts. “But they have to be smart cuts.”

Home-delivered meals enable the elderly to stay in their homes, costing the state less, he said. If they become malnourished and ill, they would likely need to be placed in nursing homes, with Medicaid picking up the bill.

“A $5 meal is a lot more feasible,” Nicolai said.