Farm market vouchers available for seniors | People
The tastiest and healthiest food is usually homegrown. Can anyone refute that? Here in Schuylkill County, we are fortunate to have a number of farms producing delicious fruits and vegetables from spring through autumn.
If you are age 60 before Dec. 31 and meet income guidelines, you can enjoy this bounty and receive farm market vouchers through the Farmers Market Nutrition Program, coordinated locally by Diakon Community Services. Income guidelines are $23,828 for a single-person household and $32,227 for a two-person household. Total income includes investment interest, wages, Social Security, unemployment and similar distributions. The federal stimulus checks do not count for determining income eligibility.
Meals on Wheels recipients will automatically receive an application. However, the voucher program does not include older adults living in nursing care centers or other residential facilities in which meals are provided.
Applications for the farm market vouchers can be obtained by calling Diakon at 570-624-3063. They are also available on Diakon’s website at www.diakon.org/community-services, on Diakon’s Facebook page, in the Republican Herald newspaper and at the following locations:
• Redner’s Warehouse Markets in Hegins, Schuylkill Haven and Shenandoah
• Boyer’s Food Stores’ customer service desks in Ashland, Frackville, McAdoo, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah, Tamaqua and Pottsville
• BG’s Value Market in Minersville and Pine Grove
• Mahanoy City Food Store, 28 S. Main St.
• Giant Food Store, Route 61, Cressona Mall
Three ways exist for seniors to obtain the farm market vouchers: by mail, in-person by appointment or in-person at a distribution site. The deadline to submit applications is Sept. 15.
To receive your vouchers by mail, you can mail a completed application to Diakon, 118 S. Centre St., Pottsville, PA 17901. Or you can email it to [email protected] or fax to 570-624-3011.
To receive your voucher through an in-person appointment, call Diakon at 570-624-3063 to schedule an appointment at a Schuylkill County Senior Center. In-person appointments will be handled from 2 to 6 p.m. on the following dates specific for each Senior Center: Mahanoy City today, Pottsville on Monday, Schuylkill Haven on Wednesday, Shenandoah on June 10 and Tremont on June 14.
To receive your voucher at an in-person distribution site, go to one of two locations on designated dates. The first is Kenny Stehr and Sons Farmer’s Market, 29 Kettle Road, Pitman, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 11 or 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 19, the date of the Strawberry Festival. You can receive your farm market voucher and shop for your fruits and vegetables right on the farm.
The second location is called Taste and See – Pennsylvania Produce, an outside fun event from noon to 6 p.m. on The Island, Broadway Street, Schuylkill Haven. After receiving your voucher, you can shop for produce at the event, enjoy cooking exhibits and receive creative fruit and vegetable recipes.
In past years, RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) volunteers have helped to distribute farm market vouchers at various locations, as well as volunteered with dozens of other nonprofit organizations throughout the county, such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, libraries, historical societies and museums, blood drives, food pantries and much more.
RSVP is a volunteer program for people age 55 and older, and volunteers are needed in many capacities and will be needed even more as organizations open up to volunteers again. For more information, call Darla Troutman, RSVP coordinator, at 570-622-3103.
RSVP is part of AmeriCorps Seniors and is under the local sponsorship of Schuylkill County Office of Senior Services. RSVP is part of the Schuylkill County Volunteer Program which also includes Community Volunteers in Action. Check out the Facebook pages for CVIA and for Schuylkill County Human Services Programs.
