WILTON — Western Maine Community Action will receive $175,105 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to a recent announcement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

It is one of 44 community-based organizations receiving more than $9.5 million in loans and grants to promote economic growth, create jobs and strengthen local communities.

Locally, the funding will help WMCA and six other CAP agencies receive the latest training to meet the needs of the elderly and provide services through their Keeping Seniors Home program, said Fen Fowler, executive director.

WMCA has continued the statewide senior program since 2004 through the community action network, he said. This is the third time USDA has supported the program, Fowler said. 

As part of the grant funding, WMCA needs to match the amount, doubling the value. The organization already has the matching funds, Fowler said.

The Keep Seniors Home program has demonstrated an ability to help seniors remain independent and in their own homes as they age, easing the burden on taxpayer-supported assisted living and nursing home care.

Janice Daku leads the program here and is a great advocate of helping seniors age where they want to — at home, she said.

A portion of the grant application describes Maine as “the oldest state in the nation based on median age. As the demand for services designed to help elders maintain their independence increases over the next decade, Maine — and Maine Keeping Seniors Home — is poised to lead the way with innovative community-based strategies.”

The funding will provide an opportunity to document the project’s results in respect to improved economic health in six CAP regions serving 12 counties in Maine.

The program’s services are based on training that identifies needs of the elderly that can create an issue and diminish the person’s ability to stay at home.

The funding will provide housing rehabilitation, energy conservation, education and support services to the elderly.

While an average of $10,000 can be spent on a senior’s home, that money goes further in the local economy, Fowler said. When seniors stay in their own homes they continue to spend money in the local community.

“If a senior in, say, Phillips, leaves for assisted living or a nursing home in Farmington, that home may be sold to someone from away who uses it for seasonal housing,” he said about the rippling effect on the rest of the community.

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