Food Finders Food Bank, in partnership with the National Council on Aging (NCOA), has joined a nationwide effort to fight senior hunger by increasing participation by eligible seniors in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Senior hunger, often called America’s “hidden hunger,” is on the rise. Nearly 5 million adults over age 60 do not have consistent access to healthy food. SNAP is our nation’s most powerful and effective anti-hunger program, but it is highly underutilized by older adults. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that only 2 out of every 5 seniors who are eligible for SNAP are enrolled in the program. This means that millions of low-income elders are missing out on this vital program, which provides an average monthly benefit of $106 to help participants buy healthy food. This benefit could put adequate nutrition within reach for many seniors who are struggling to make ends meet.
Food Finders Food Bank is stepping up its efforts to assist seniors in applying for SNAP. Food Finders will use NCOA’s free online BenefitsCheckUp® tool (www.BenefitsCheckUp.org) to screen older adults with limited income for SNAP eligibility.
“We’re proud to be part of an effort that has the potential to help tens of thousands of low income older adults improve their health and financial security,” said Katy Bunder, President/CEO of Food Finders Food Bank. Food Finders Food Bank has a strong history of helping seniors in need. We’re confident that increasing SNAP enrollment with BenefitsCheckUp® and other proven outreach methods will have a profound effect on lives of seniors in North Central Indiana.”
Food Finders Food Bank’s Program Coordinator, Zach Pattison, focuses his time in four counties including Clinton County. Contact Zach at 765.471.0062 x209 or [email protected] for more information.
For more information on NCOA’s senior hunger initiative, visit http://www.ncoa.org/SeniorHunger.
About Food Finders:
Since 1981, Food Finders Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, has worked to provide full service programs that meet the nutritional needs of thousands of hungry families in North Central Indiana. The food bank operates programs to cost-effectively secure donated and purchased food, provide food to families in need, and educate the community about the efficient use of food resources. Food Finders distributed nine million pounds of food annually, throughout the 16 counties it serves. For more information or to make a donation, contact Food Finders Food Bank, Inc. at 765.471.0062 or visit www.food-finders.org.