Centre County will begin distributing farmers’ market vouchers for older residents after a brief delay, but will have fewer available than anticipated because of a federal funding issue.
The vouchers, which are made available each summer to residents 60 or older who meet income eligibility guidelines, will be available at the Willowbank Building, 420 Holmes Street in Bellefonte, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesday in room 144, on Thursday in room 116 and on Friday in room 144.
They will also be distributed at community locations on the following schedule:
- Wednesday, June 4: Madisonburg Senior Center—10 a.m. to noon
- Thursday, June 5: Philipsburg YMCA—9 a.m. to noon
- Tuesday, June 10: Snow Shoe Senior Center—10 a.m. to noon
- Thursday, June 12: Centre Hall Senior Center—10 am to noon
- Monday, June 16: Centre Region Senior Center—9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The Centre County Office of Aging originally planned to begin distribution on Monday, but was informed last week by the state Department of Agriculture, which runs the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, that there would be a delay in sending them to counties because of a reduction in federal funding made available for the program. The vouchers needed to be repackaged because fewer would be distributed to counties than expected as a result, Office of Aging Director Quentin Burchfield said.
“According to the Department of Agriculture, they did not receive the federal funding that they anticipated for the program, and the program is funded through the state and the federal government, so every aging office has received less vouchers,” Burchfield said.
Counties were initially told to expect a two-week delay.
“As it turns out, we did get them this week,” Burchfield said. “We’re now preparing our vouchers and we plan starting tomorrow to start distributing them to older adults in Centre County.”
Each Area Agency on Aging will receive about 74% of the vouchers requested. Centre County is receiving 5,315 compared to about 7,000 last year.
“Last year we had about a hundred left at the end of the season,” Burchfield said. “This year I anticipate we will run out. So don’t wait til the last minute.”
The program will provide eligible seniors with $25 in vouchers (five $5 vouchers) that can be used to purchase produce grown in Pennsylvania at participating markets.. To receive the vouchers in Centre County, individuals must be residents of the county and be 60 years old by Dec. 31. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Questions concerning the voucher program in Centre County can be directed to the Office of Aging at 814-355-6716.
