SAN ANTONIO – KSAT Community is teaming up with Meals on Wheels San Antonio to launch an emergency phone bank on Thursday, Oct. 23, from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., aimed at raising critical funds to support local seniors impacted by budget cuts and a growing service gap.
Following the recent government shutdown, Meals on Wheels is facing severe funding shortfalls that threatens the meal delivery services to 350 senior clients starting in early 2026. Without immediate financial support, the nonprofit cannot continue providing meals to all clients in need.
>> Meals on Wheels San Antonio to suspend meal delivery services for hundreds due to funding cut
The KSAT Community Phone Bank offers an opportunity for the public to step in and help ensure San Antonio’s seniors do not go hungry.
“This is a moment for our community to come together,” said Ashley Parker, Vice President and General Manager at KSAT12. “Every dollar donated during the phone bank goes directly to Meals on Wheels to help restore services and provide food security for our most vulnerable neighbors.”
The funding crisis has also impacted the organization’s AniMeals program, which provides pet food for clients who rely on animal companionship. With limited resources, Meals on Wheels is prioritizing clients with the highest level of need, as determined by its consumer evaluation system.
To help expand service capacity, the organization is offering a Client Support Meals program for those able to pay a subsidized rate of $100 per month. Even so, the current waitlist for food assistance stands at 8–10 months, and urgent help is needed to reduce that backlog.
“The need for community support to serve the most vulnerable of the senior population has always existed, but is now more important than ever. We’ve never had to consider suspending services to a single client before, much less 350 clients, although the need has always outpaced available resources,’ said Vinsen Faris, CEO of Meals On Wheels San Antonio. “Thank you to those in the community who have already committed to ensuring we continue serving those 350 clients for now. We want to make sure we don’t have to suspend service at any point in the future for anyone who counts on us for their meal and a moment of connection. With a waiting list of 900 older adults, that gets longer every day, it is important for everyone to work together so no senior goes hungry.”
How to Help
- Call during the KSAT Community Phone Bank: Thursday, Oct. 23, 5 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Phone Number: 210-351-1363
- Donate online: https://www.mowsatx.org/ksat
“The need for community support to serve the most vulnerable of the senior population has always existed, but is now more important than ever. We’ve never had to consider suspending services to a single client before, much less 350 clients, although the need has always outpaced available resources,” Vinsen Faris, CEO of Meals On Wheels San Antonio, said in a statement. “Thank you to those in the community who have already committed to ensuring we continue serving those 350 clients for now. We want to make sure we don’t have to suspend service at any point in the future for anyone who counts on us for their meal and a moment of connection. With a waiting list of 900 older adults, that gets longer every day, it is important for everyone to work together so no senior goes hungry.”
About KSAT12:
KSAT12 is San Antonio’s #1 rated news station, owned and operated by Graham Media Group. KSAT12 is one of the top ABC affiliates in the country and delivers breaking local news and information 24 hours a day. By delivering more news and information than any other station in town, KSAT12 is set apart from the competition. The KSAT team is known for an aggressive reporting style in our top-rated newscasts and for a daily, fast-paced lifestyle program, “SA Live”, that is number one in the market.
About KSAT Community:
KSAT Community operates in partnership with University Health and Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union. Click here to read about other KSAT Community efforts.
About Graham Media Group:
Graham Media Group is comprised of seven local media powerhouses, plus Graham Digital, Omne and Social News Desk – all delivering local news, programming, advertising solutions and digital media tools for television, online, mobile, streaming, podcasts, and audio devices. We are dynamic, local brands that extend well beyond traditional broadcast television. Our work helps inform, celebrate and knit together the communities we serve. Headquartered in Detroit, GMG operates in four states: KPRC–Houston, WDIV–Detroit and WSLS–Roanoke (NBC); KSAT–San Antonio (ABC); WKMG–Orlando (CBS); WJXT–Jacksonville (fully local), and WCWJ–Jacksonville (CW). Graham Digital is a digital media and technology development group widely recognized as a top industry innovator. Omne is a leader in results-driven marketing solutions. Social News Desk provides its 2500+ worldwide newsroom-customers with a single dashboard to publish, measure, curate and monetize local news content on social platforms. Graham Media Group is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC).
