There are 7 million older Americans who either rarely leave their homes or have trouble doing so without help, according to Johns Hopkins University. Called homebound Americans, they're growing as the country's population rapidly ages.
By 2040, the number of Americans ages 65 and older will more than double. The number of adults age 85 and older, the group most often needing help with basic personal care, will nearly quadruple, according to the Urban Institute.
However, the number of federal dollars to support this growing community is slowly shrinking.
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"We just haven't had the kind of support or attention that's necessary to address those needs," said Josh Protas, chief policy officer at Meals on Wheels America, one of the groups that relies on federal funding to deliver meals to seniors.
The Older Americans Act is the main piece of legislation that doles out more than $2 billion to senior needs each year. But this summer, the House cut funding by $8 million to nutrition programs under the Older Americans Act. It has put a strain on groups like Meals on Wheels that have dealt with decreasing donations, higher food prices, and now lower levels of federal funding.
Protas says it's led 45% of the group's programs to have a waitlist, with an average wait time of more than 4 months.
"That's a pretty desperate situation and it shouldn't be that way," he said.
Kim Powell, who has multiple sclerosis, has relied on a local 501(c)(3) south of Denver to deliver meals to her on a daily basis for years since she cannot drive.
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"I don't know what I'd do without them," Powell said. "I'd just be sitting here. You know, I can't drive. It's been difficult, but they're a family. Just having someone think of me. It's a blessing."
In some cases, the deliveries are the only food and social interaction many of these seniors get each day. Powell says her grown kids live in the area, but don't make it a point to see her so having meal delivery drivers show up offers her a way to see people she cares about.
Just recently, Meals on Wheels America announced its End the Wait campaign in hopes of getting Congress to reauthorize OAA funding before it's set to expire at the end of the year.
