Nonprofits that serve seniors and the poor are nervous about a leaked federal budget that shows the Trump administration ending funding for a variety of programs.
A Michiana agency leader says the cuts would be devastating.
The leaked fiscal year 2026 federal budget shows a complete elimination of funding for programs that seniors and the poor have relied on since the 1960s. They include the Long Term Care Ombudsman program, which monitors abuse and neglect in licensed facilities, and Adult Protective Services, which does the same thing for seniors still living in their homes.
"That's scary to have no way to help seniors who might be being abused in a nursing facility or assisted living," said Karla Mapes, president and CEO of REAL Services, the South Bend-based nonprofit that helps seniors and the poor across five counties. She’s still hopeful that the Republican-controlled Congress ultimately will keep the programs in the budget bill.
On Friday Mapes said Rep. Rudy Yakym, a vocal supporter of President Trump, accepted her invitation to ride along on Meals on Wheels deliveries to three seniors in South Bend. Yakym sits on the budget-writing House Ways and Means Committee.
"He was very positive about our organization," Mapes said. "He didn't give anything of a yes I'm voting for this or that, but at least he was able to see it and understand the impact of those programs."
