Food prices are high and older Americans are struggling to fill their pantries. But there are efforts in Washington, D.C., to help curb the trend.

It's called the Older Americans Act, which includes a nutrition program that provides millions of affordable meals to older adults. It’s no secret, the number of Americans older than the age of 65 is growing, and right now, 1 in every 4 of them are skimping on basic needs like food.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York is calling on her counterparts on Capitol Hill to allocate nearly $2 billion for the Older Americans Act.

More than 2 million older adults facing hunger stand to receive more than 250 million nutritious meals through various programs around the country.

Meals on Wheels, for example, delivers food directly to seniors in need, and these sorts of programs have benefits beyond reducing food insecurity.

The delivery can help eliminate social isolation and slash medical costs.

The state of New York boasts the largest nutrition program in the nation. The home-delivered meal and congregate meal program serves about 150,000 people across the state.

Leaders with the Association on Aging in New York applaud Gillibrand’s advocacy, and say despite their efforts, the reach can and should become greater.

“What we see across the state of New York and nationally, we see a lot of areas with food deserts," Association on Aging in New York Executive Director Rebecca Preve said. "We have a rising cost of living with a relatively static pension and Social Security system, and then you have inflationary costs across all living expenses that really, at the end of the day, targets that grocery bill, especially for older people living on a fixed income.”

Advocates for the allocation say it’s well worth it, pointing to a Meals on Wheels report showing that hospitalizations decrease significantly among seniors who receive consistent nutritious meals.