By guest columnist, Amberlee Finkes, Shared Harvest
Having enough food – it’s a fundamental need which, unfortunately, is not always a given. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, more than seven million older adults experience food insecurity each month for a host of reasons, ranging from health conditions that require expensive medications, or issues with transportation, while living on a fixed income.
Shared Harvest Foodbank works to find, rescue and distribute food to those living in poverty. “We want to do our part to ease these burdens by providing extra support to our older adults,” says Terry Perdue, executive director.
Through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), Shared Harvest distributes a monthly 40-pound box of nutritious supplemental food for low-income older adults. Boxes may include juice, cereal, shelf-stable milk, canned proteins, canned fruits and vegetables, and more.
Those eligible for CSFP include adults over age 60 living in one of the following counties: Butler, Darke, Miami, Preble or Warren.
To receive more information about Shared Harvest, please contact www.sharedharvest.org or 513-881-9024. We can help you find a food pantry, register for our Friday Drive-Thru Food Distribution, or apply for SNAP assistance.
About the author: Amberlee Finkes, Director of Development & Communications, looks toward a future in which everyone has regular access to healthy food.