By Kasey Fowler, Staff Writer

Three local churches have teamed up to provide senior citizens at Meadows Point Apartments and La Mesa West Apartments with a Friday meal.

Members of the churches had been bringing Wheatheart Nutrition meals to seniors at the apartments, but Wheat-heart, due to a $230,000 budget cut from Depart-ment of Human Services, had to eliminate its Friday meals.

Members of Willow Road Christian Church, Christian Church of the Covenant and Central Christian Church met with a representative of Food Share America last week to determine a way to continue bringing seniors a meal on Fridays.

DHS cut $7.4 million from senior nutrition programs statewide after Oklahoma officials, trying to cope with declining revenues, ordered 5 percent cuts in the budget allocations of all state agencies.

Wheatheart is furloughing staff members for 44 days, which means meals no longer are served on Fridays or holidays. Also, the Enid kitchen was shut down and moved to Garber because operating costs were cheaper there.

State leaders have been looking at the issue and trying to find a solution.

Under one proposal, DHS would restore nutrition programs provided the agency receives a $7.4 million supplemental appropriation when the Legislature convenes in February. That idea must be approved by Republican legislative leaders.

State Sen. Patrick Anderson, R-Enid, wants Gov. Brad Henry to dedicate 5 percent of his $105 million in discretionary federal economic stimulus money for nutrition programs. But, the governor has said those funds already are committed to one-time projects.

“When the news came out that Wheatheart is shut down on Fridays our people said, ‘We have to do something, that means three days without food.’ Some can provide for themselves some cannot,” said the Rev. John McLemore, pastor of Central Christian Church.

The churches provided a meal last Friday and will continue through Nov. 20.

“The ladies here in my church met Thursday down in the church kitchen. They fixed up some very hearty vegetable soup,” said Pat Sutherlin, pastor at Christian Church of the Covenant. “This Friday we are doing pizzas. Friday, the 20th, Central Christian will be providing a meal.”

On Nov. 21, the churches will deliver frozen meals to seniors purchased through Food Share America.

“We are chipping in to buy some really nice frozen from Food Share America. We decided each church would chip in about a third and buy cases of these meals,” McLemore said. “We are delivering these four at a time so they can have them in their freezers.”

Earla Haggard, lay person at Willow Road Christian Church and local coordinator of Food Share America, said the meals are gourmet frozen dinners that provide the nutrition seniors need.

“The churches have really stepped up to pay for these meals. The seniors will be responsible for preparing the meals themselves,” Haggard said. “They can be cooked easily in the microwave. We were just trying to do something to help them still have that meal.”

The churches plan to continue to provide the meals until June or until state funding is restored to the program.

“We are prepared to do this through June, but our hope is that the state will find some money,” McLemore said. “We are just providing 50 or 60 meals, but there are lots of other people in Enid that are a part of the program that need meals.”

The churches felt the number of meals they took on to provide was manageable for them.

“I hope there is a resolution for the crisis for the whole program. I hope they find that soon. We unfortunately can’t take care of everyone,” Sutherlin said. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the ability to feed everyone that needs it, but we knew we could help the residents in our housing units.”

Marianne Gutierrez, Wheatheart project director, said she thinks it is great the churches are able to help provide meals in place of the meals Wheatheart can’t provide.

“We are so pleased the community obviously values their seniors,” she said. “They have stepped up to take the place in our absence. It has been one of the bright spots in all of this. The communities, cities, civic organizations and churches that have been able to provide meals to the seniors.”