The Kansas Food Bank along with the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank are introducing a USDA program to help provide monthly food boxes to low income seniors.
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program will be available in Saline County to persons age 60 and above who qualify by meeting income requirements. Distribution will start in February.
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.
Income guidelines are as follows:
Household Size / Gross Income
- $1,307
- $1,760
- $2,213
- $2,665
The Kansas Food Bank will be scheduling appointments in Salina at the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank office, 225 S Chicago on Wednesday, January 14, 2018 between 10 am and 3:30 pm to register seniors for the program. To schedule an appointment, call Debi at the Kansas Food Bank, 316-265-3663. Applicants should bring all required documents with them.
“The Commodity Supplemental Food Program serves as a safety net for low income seniors who experience food insecurity,” Debi Kreutzman, Kansas Food Bank said. “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.”
Food packages include a variety of foods, such as nonfat 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.
“Currently, 10 percent of all people served by the Kansas Food Bank and our partner agencies are seniors,” Kreutzman said. “We are only going to see that number rise as baby boomers start to age. The CSFP boxes provide seniors with a good mix of nutritious items to help supplement their food needs.”
