A nonprofit providing services for seniors and disabled adults could be facing a budget shortfall.

Like many other organizations on Whidbey recently, Island Senior Resources relies on federal funding that is in danger of being revoked. Nic Wildeman, who is one of two interim executive directors, said the impending cuts would amount to a loss of about 40% of all program funding.

Congressional reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, which provides funding for these vital programs, has not yet happened. President Donald Trump’s administration has proposed significant cuts or elimination of services funded by the Older Americans Act.

The federal budget will not be finalized until Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.

“We are optimistic that cooler heads will prevail in the process of reconciliation budgets, but we are very, very concerned that we don’t want this community to feel that our seniors are disposable,” Wildeman said.

Senior nutrition is an important part of Island Senior Resources that would be impacted. In 2024, Meals on Wheels and community meals served in four locations county-wide had 1,117 participants, 8,783 volunteer hours and 120,409 meals served.

Transportation to medical appointments would also be affected. Last year, Island Senior Resources volunteers provided 5,287 hours of their time to give 1,370 rides in Island County, Everett, Seattle, Whatcom and Skagit counties.

In addition, the volunteer-run Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors program – known as SHIBA – is funded by the federal government and helps seniors determine the best combination of Medicare and supplemental insurances for their individual situations. Nearly 1,000 clients were served last year.

“Health insurance in the U.S., if you layer it on top of Medicare benefit, is the most complicated thing short of brain surgery,” Wildeman said.

Another program assists seniors with Medicaid case management. Community Options Program Entry System, or COPES, served almost 300 people in 2024.

Island Senior Resources is the largest program in the county serving seniors and disabled adults and is often the place people go when they don’t know where else to turn. People get frightened reading the headlines and are depending on the organization to tell them the straight truth, which is difficult when things change rapidly at the federal level.

“As a result of this, we have a lot of very anxious seniors,” Wildeman said.

Wildeman told a story of a gentleman whose Social Security check was a couple days late arriving. He worried he was going to be evicted from his apartment, so he drove to the Social Security office in Everett only to be turned away at the door because he didn’t have an appointment. He then came to Island Senior Resources for help, which he received.

As Americans are living longer and longer, the need for social services is escalating at a rate that outstrips the cost of living increases, Wildeman said. Americans over 65 are projected to represent more than 20% of the nation’s population in the next 15 years.

Island Senior Resources is facing the need for local action and support. Getting in touch with federal and state government elected officials is crucial.

“Every telephone call helps,” Wildeman said. “I make those calls from my kitchen every morning.”

Though the organization has been fortunate to have a substantial reserve, Wildeman said, it is by no means rich.

“We have time and we have ideas about how to innovate and replace our dependence on federal funding, which is ultimately what we’d like to see happen,” he said. “We’d like to achieve some of those goals by the end of this calendar year.”

In the worst case scenario, Island Senior Resources programs could suffer a severe cut as a result of the loss of federal dollars.

“That’s not, however, on the immediate horizon and we’re optimistic that we can develop new funding streams not dependent on government,” Wildeman said.

Volunteers – many who are senior citizens themselves – are always needed to work in the thrift store or to carry out the various programs, like driving people to appointments or delivering meals.

For more information, visit senior-resources.org.

Photo courtesy of Island Senior Resources Brad Crain, right, hands off frozen meals to driver Tim Furey, who is about to leave Bayview to deliver them.

Photo courtesy of Island Senior Resources Brad Crain, right, hands off frozen meals to driver Tim Furey, who is about to leave Bayview to deliver them.

Photo courtesy of Island Senior Resources Ralph Lueken, a Meals on Wheels recipient with volunteer Ron Ward.

Photo courtesy of Island Senior Resources Joan Nelson, right, with her daughter Robin Hernandez. Nelson was one of the first Island Senior Resources employees and wrote the very first grant proposal nearly 50 years ago.