Senior nutrition program requests $609,221 for 2027; net general-fund ask $230,306

Jonathan Zamora presented the senior nutrition and related recreation budgets and said the city's meal program is entering its 53rd year of operation in Westchester County. He outlined meal counts, funding sources and operational needs.

Jonathan said county contract reimbursements amount to $274,721 and additional contract/federal funding of $104,194 yields a total funding pool of roughly $378,914.95; with a total 2027 request of $609,221, he reported a net general-fund need of $230,306.05 to support meal preparation and delivery. "The county reimburses the city per meal at $9.54," he said, and noted a suggested contribution of $3 per meal that is never enforced.

The presentation cited program growth (about 33,791 meals to date and an anticipated 48,000 meals by year end) and a 30% increase in Spanish-speaking meal attendance. Jonathan emphasized transportation as a bottleneck for accessibility (two shuttle buses and a 15-passenger van are in use) and said new kitchen equipment was arriving and will support workforce-development iterations of the community kitchen next spring.

Councilors asked about translation/interpretation capacity and physical dining-room limits; Jonathan said the main dining room's absolute capacity is 128 but that 90 is a more comfortable operational maximum and that staggered meal times could be used if demand continues to grow.