W. Illinois nutrition program suffers federal cuts

QUINCY, Ill. — Organizers with the West-Central Illinois Nutrition Project say they’re suffering after $27,000 in federal funding cuts.

Project director Gail Murry says the group has had to cut three meal sites, weekend meals and their frozen-meal program. The program also now only serves lunch on weekdays. The Quincy Herald-Whig reports that the project’s six sites in six western Illinois counties served about 67,800 meals during fiscal year 2012. The project delivered another nearly 117,500 meals to home.

But during the first seven months of fiscal year 2013 the project has served about 28,800 meals and delivered about 37,400 meals to homes.

Murry says the group is feeding “a frail, vulnerable population.” She says they’re “feeling the pinch.” Murry says now she’s wondering what’s next.