Item 12: Draft Recommendation — original pdf

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COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Commission on Aging Recommendation Number: 20260311-012: Food Insecurity and Meals for Older Adults WHEREAS, the City of Austin adopted the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, which states that Austin should strive to be a community where all residents have access to healthy food and where public policies support health, equity, and well-being across the lifespan1; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin and Travis County adopted the Austin/Travis County Food Plan, which identifies food access and food insecurity as critical public health and equity issues and calls for coordinated strategies to ensure residents—particularly vulnerable populations—have reliable access to nutritious food2; and WHEREAS, the Austin/Travis County Food Plan recognizes that older adults and residents with disabilities face structural barriers to accessing healthy food and recommends expanding partnerships and programs that deliver food directly to residents who cannot easily access grocery stores or food distribution sites3; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin’s Strategic Direction 2023 identifies access to healthy food and reduction of disparities in health outcomes as key components of the City’s goals related to health, equity, and community well-being4; and WHEREAS, meal programs serving older adults—including home-delivered meals, congregate meal sites, and grocery delivery services—serve as a critical part of Austin’s community safety net by addressing both nutritional needs and the social isolation that can accompany aging, disability, and limited mobility; and WHEREAS, a recent Quality-of-Life study of older adults in Austin found that older adults with disabilities experienced the highest level of food insecurity among the nine demographic groups analyzed, with an 186% higher risk of food insecurity compared with older adults without disabilities; and WHEREAS, the same Quality-of-Life study found that older adults with incomes below 60% of Median Family Income (MFI) experience 21% higher health insecurity than older adults generally; and 1 Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan June 15, 2012 2 Austin/Travis County Food Plan 3 Ibid. 4 City of Austin Strategic Direction 2023 Page 1 of 2 WHEREAS, the Quality-of-Life study also found that older adults living in Council District 3 experience significantly higher food insecurity than those in other districts; and WHEREAS, the Quality-of-Life study further found that 43% of older adults living alone utilize meal programs, and that for some individuals these programs may provide their only daily human interaction. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Commission on Aging recommends that the Austin City Council directs the City Manager to prioritize partnerships and funding strategies that support meal programs with broad inclusion practices designed to reach older adults with disabilities who face disproportionately high food insecurity and social isolation. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Aging recommends Council directs the City Manager to ensure that older adults with incomes below 60% of Median Family Income are able to access reliable nutrition by strengthening and sustaining meal programs and grocery delivery services serving low-income seniors. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Aging recommends Council directs the City Manager to initiate a focused study or task force to examine and address food insecurity among older adults in Council District 3, including identifying service gaps and recommending targeted investments in food resources. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Aging recommends Council directs the City Manager to support the continued operation and expansion of older adult meal programs, recognizing their dual role in meeting both nutrition needs and social connection needs, particularly for older adults living alone. Date of Approval: _____________________________ Record of the vote: Attest: _____________________________________________ Page 2 of 2