ADRC director warns nutrition program under financial strain as costs rise and federal funding stays flat

Mike Ray, executive director of the Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Central Wisconsin, briefed the Health & Human Services Committee on ADRC operations across Marathon, Lincoln, Langlade and Wood counties. Ray described ADRC’s integrated model — providing resource and information services, options counseling, dementia and caregiver support, benefit specialists and nutrition (meals-on-wheels) — and said the center relies heavily on volunteers (roughly 385–400) in addition to about 60 FTE.

Ray warned that nutrition-program input costs have risen sharply (he cited 40–45% increases over four years) while federal funding through the Older Americans Act has been effectively flat; as a result the ADRC has reduced meal days and service levels and trimmed staffing in an effort to maintain services across a large geographic area. He said regionalization provides administrative efficiencies and that Marathon County’s 2026 levy contribution to the ADRC is $413,135.

Ray asked the committee and county administration to continue exploring funding and collaborative opportunities; members and administration noted the move to a shared Lake View campus has improved coordination and may offer some operational savings, but the center still faces structural funding constraints. No formal action was taken; Ray offered to present more detailed 2025 data to the full board or return for an expanded committee briefing.