Farmers Market Coupons Made Available To Eligible Iowans

Farmers market (file photo)

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Summertime means the garden crops are starting to come in, and the taste of summer is now easier to get for some older Iowans and some WIC eligible families.

The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition and Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs provide eligible Iowans with checks that can be redeemed for fresh, locally grown produce at authorized farmers’ markets and farm stands from June 1 through October 31, 2017.

The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs are administered through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa Department on Aging.

A combination of state and federal funds will be used to make benefits available to more than 18,600 eligible seniors this year.

Some older Oskaloosa residents found their way to the senior center located at the old Grant Elementary building to pick up their coupons.

Inside, recipients found two sheets of coupons worth a total of $30.00. Each sheet holds five coupons worth $3.00 each.

In addition to produce, locally produced honey can also be purchased with Senior FMNP checks. Applicants throughout the state are offered the checks on a first-come first-served basis and the checks are available through Area Agency on Aging offices.

Oskaloosa Area Agency on Aging Director Cheryl Brown helped to dispense the coupons to area eligible residents at their location on Monday.

In order to qualify for the program, Brown said that a resident must be at least 60 years of age, live within the local program’s service area and have an income less than $22,311.00 for a single person, or $30,044.00 for a married couple.

Brown says the morning was very busy, as the line for the coupons ran outside the building for a time, but then, as those initial residents finished, the line subsided, leaving several booklets unused.

Brown worries that if eligible residents don’t take advantage of the program, the amount being distributed to the county may be cut. Nearly 90 individuals took advantage of the program in Oskaloosa.

To find an Area Agency on Aging near you, contact the Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging (i4a) toll free at 866-468-7887 or at www.i4a.org.

WIC recipients interested in obtaining the benefits are encouraged to contact their local WIC clinic or visit https://idph.iowa.gov/wic/families for more information.

Posted by on Jun 14 2017. Filed under Local News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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