POMEROY — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will release over $3.5 million for Ohio senior citizen nutrition programs as part of the National Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The Meigs County Council on Aging is one agency providing meals through its home-delivered meals program — about 100 daily, and another 100 at the senior center. That program operates on public funds, donations from clients, and agency fundraisers.

The funding comes at a critical time, U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-Bridgeport, said Monday, as agencies providing nutrition programs for older citizens feel the pinch of rising food costs, and the demand for services increases due to the tough economic climate and a fast-growing population of senior citizens.

Ohio will receive $3,734,651 for senior nutrition assistance as part of the Recovery Act.

“The funds will provide meals to seniors in need, restore nutrition services that have been cut and restore positions which may have been eliminated or reduced,” Wilson said.

“Throughout Ohio’s Sixth Congressional District, social services are being severely cut because of our economy,” Wilson said. “This critical investment will help ease the pain caused by these cuts, help to maintain some of the jobs associated with caring for our seniors and help our seniors maintain their health and independence.”

Wilson also encouraged communities to apply for funding under the Recovery Act’s Community Oriented Policing Services hiring grant program.

According the U.S. Department of Justice, this is a competitive grant program. Up to $1 billion in grant funding will be available for the hiring and rehiring of additional career law enforcement officers.

The funding will go directly to law enforcement agencies having primary authority to create and preserve jobs and to increase their community policing capacity and crime-prevention efforts.

Applications for CHRP grants will be accepted only through the COPS Office website: www.cops.usdoj.gov through April 14, Wilson said.