The Kansas Food Bank, along with local partners Marion County Food Bank and MAC, are introducing a USDA program to help provide monthly food boxes to low-income seniors.
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program will be available in Marion County to persons age 60 and above who qualify by meeting income requirements.
Food packages include a variety of foods, such as non-fat dry and ultra-high temperature fluid milk, juice, farina, oats, ready-to-eat cereal, rice, pasta, peanut butter, dry beans, canned meat, poultry or fish and canned fruits and vegetables.
Distribution will start in May. Interested seniors must fill out an application and provide the following: proof of ID, proof of income (Social Security statement) and proof of address. Once approved, they will receive a monthly box and will recertify in six months.
“All too often we find that low-income seniors living on a fixed budget have to make difficult choices: they have to choose between paying for their medications or buying food, or they may have to choose between paying higher utility bills or buying food,” said Debi Kreutzman, community relations manager for the Kansas Food Bank.
“Currently 10 percent of all people served by the Kansas Food Bank and our partner agencies are seniors,” Kreutzman added. “We are only going to see that number rise as baby boomers age.”
Income guidelines for the program are: One-person household, monthly gross income of $1,316; two-person, $1,784; three-person $2,252’ and four-person, $2,720.
The Kansas Food Bank will be scheduling appointments in Marion at the Marion County Food Bank, 1220 E. Main St. Wednesday, April 25, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to register seniors for the program.
