Pauls Valley — While no official decision has been made on the final details of restoration of some of the $7.4 million cut from senior nutrition programs, something will be in place by the end of the current session, said Sen. Susan Paddack, D-Ada. The solution, which must come by the end of May, will relocate the nutrition programs formerly under the Department of Human Services to other state agencies, said Paddack. The decision for the cuts were made when legislators were not in session and the move will be made to try and prevent cuts like this from happening in the future. In the past, the Department of Commerce has handled issues along these lines and it is a possible future administrator, said Paddack. A promise has been made to make the matter a high priority. “We’ve been fighting since last November to get this done,” said Paddack. “We’re very pleased to see this all go through.” One of those programs that have reeled from cuts is the Southern Oklahoma Nutrition Program, which has seen seven of its senior center sites in the 10 counties covered close as a result of cutting back, said Sandra Overturf, site manager for the Pauls Valley location in Wacker Park. Maysville and Wynnewood were two of the sites closed in Garvin County and as a result the closed site puts more pressure on the remaining centers that already struggle to feed low income individuals in the recession. “People that come to us at lunch may get the only meal they eat that day,” said Overturf. “The cutbacks are unfair, but we still have to help people.” Approximately 1,500 seniors in Pauls Valley and surrounding areas receive some sort of food assistance from the center in town with 150 hot meals served on site for lunch alone Tuesday, said Overturf. She said many are not convinced that enough help will come, especially since there are waiting lists for items as simple as grocery assistance. “Saying it and doing it are two different things,” said Overturf. “We are not all that optimistic.”
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