The USDA has just announced that the Senior Farm Share Program is suspended for 2014 until further notice. The program has not been authorized by Congress. The announcement on the State of Maine's Get Real Get Maine website states that it's unknown whether the program will be funded at all for the 2014 season.
For many years, the Senior Farm Share program has provided qualifying seniors with $50 vouchers to be used at farmers markets and farm stands in order to increase their access to fresh produce during the growing season.
Do seniors you serve participate in the Senior Farm Share Program? If so, do you have ideas on how to fill in the gap left by the discontinuation of the program for this year? If not, please reach out to your Agency Services staff to help you brainstorm or to offer suggestions on how your feeding program and Good Shepherd Food Bank can work together to ensure that seniors have access to nutritious fresh food!
A blog for partner agencies of Good Shepherd Food Bank