This summer, Family Eldercare joined other members of One Voice Central Texas— a coalition of over 100 nonprofits from the greater Austin area–in testifying before city council during its budget meetings.
We demanded City leaders:
- First address inefficiencies in its own budget, before cutting proven programs that keep people healthy, housed, and safe.
- Be transparent about what services will be cut, why, and how cuts will impact the community’s well-being.
- Use common sense and protect social services that prevent more costly intervention by the city in the long run.
I was incredibly proud to see members of our Family Eldercare community step forward. Staff members shared what they witness every day, and clients courageously told their own stories about how these services have changed—and even saved—their lives.
After demanding more transparency and accountability in the budget process, the city moved away from making blanket cuts and instead will look at individual contracts. We expect most of our City funding to remain intact. The city has proposed to cut our mental health counseling contract by 10%, but the deeper cuts originally proposed now appear less likely.
No matter the final budget, our commitment to our community will not change. We will continue serving older adults and adults with disabilities in need, while advocating for the resources that help our neighbors live with dignity, stability, and hope.
The budget debate is about more than numbers. It’s about people. I hope you’ll watch these powerful testimonies from members of the Family Eldercare community.
