MISSION VIEJO : Council Gives Meals Program $12,900

The City Council voted this week to give $12,900 in emergency financial help to a meals program for senior citizens, about $4,300 less than program officials had requested.

Citing a city staff report estimating that 25% of the seniors served at the Oso Viejo Center live outside of Mission Viejo, the council on Monday approved part of the $17,198 request from South County Senior Services, a nonprofit group that operates 14 meal centers in South County.

“I think we need to make sure we’re paying our fair share and that other cities pay their fair share,” said Councilman William S. Craycraft.

The group told the council that a 50% increase in meals served over the past year had caused the Mission Viejo program to run out of money.

“We have no other way to raise the money,” said Steve Bauer, a board member of the organization and a Mission Viejo resident. “We need more help to feed the people who are coming to the center.”

The group is under contract with the county to serve 40 meals daily to senior citizens. But since last fall, it has served up to 80 meals per day, officials said.

South County Senior Services has received money from other cities, including Newport Beach and San Clemente. The organization has an annual budget of about $1 million, said executive director Marilyn Ditty.