ST. CLOUD - If the sequester happens on Friday, the local Meals on Wheels program through Catholic Charities will remain the same for the rest of this year.  But, they may have to scale back the program starting in 2014.

Ruth Hunstiger is the Director of Community Services for Catholic Charities.  She says the Central Minnesota Council on Aging funds their program, and they will use excess funds from previous years to get them through December.

Hunstiger says, if the cuts continue into 2014, they may have to reduce the number of meals they make, which means fewer meals for seniors.

Hunstiger says they don't charge their consumers a fee, but instead ask for donations.

The Catholic Charities Meals on Wheels program serves 97,000 meals each year at 42 dining locations in nine counties.  The program is available to anyone 60-years and older.

The latest on the sequester talks in Washington, D.C.:
The White House says President Barack Obama will meet Friday with congressional leaders to discuss what to do about $85 billion in mandatory spending cuts.

The top Democrat and Republican in both the House and Senate will attend. It's the first face-to-face meeting between Obama and Republican leaders this year.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell says it's a chance to address ways to reduce government spending. He says Americans won't accept more taxes as part of a deal to avert the cuts.

The across-the-board cuts are set to kick in on Friday, so the meeting will come after Congress has officially missed the deadline for averting the cuts.

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