Food Baskets for Seniors

Servicing Those That Are Young At Heart!

Food Baskets for Seniors is a program that aims to help home bound seniors with nutritional food.

More than 5 million senior citizens age 60 and older face hunger. Seniors face a number of unique medical and mobility challenges that put them at a greater risk of hunger. After a lifetime of hard work, many find themselves struggling with health issues on fixed incomes. Many of these individuals are forced to choose between paying for groceries and buying medicine.

The meals on wheels programs have been an enormous success. However, Area Agencies on Aging across the country are reporting that they have waiting lists, are struggling to provide current meals due to increases in food costs, and are losing volunteers—who often pay for the gas used to deliver meals out of their own pockets—due to the high cost for gas. While there are no national data available on the lengths of waiting lists for meals programs, in February of this year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report showing that in 2008, existing meals services did not serve most of the low-income older Americans who needed them. The study estimated that 19 percent of low income older adults were food insecure, and that 90 percent of those lacking such resources did not receive any meals.

• Food baskets are provided to seniors 60 years and up.
• The program is for one year and can be extended for another year at the end of each year.
• The program is provided to seniors with low income. Photo I.D. will be required.
• The program is provided at no cost to seniors.
• Food boxes are delivered once a month.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.