CLEARFIELD – Vouchers for the Pennsylvania Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program continue to be made available to qualifying senior citizens in Clearfield County. The SFMNP provides eligible, older citizens of Pennsylvania with vouchers to purchase fruits and vegetables at registered farmers markets.
The schedule for voucher distribution in the Clearfield area is set to change. Beginning Monday, July 26, distribution will begin at the Clearfield Center for Active Living at 103 North Front Street, Clearfield, PA and will no longer be given out at the Clearfield County Career and Technology Center. The vouchers will be distributed at the Clearfield Center on Mondays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. until September 30 or until all vouchers have been distributed.
The schedule for the other Centers remains unchanged: Coalport Center for Active Living – 672-3574, Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.; DuBois Senior & Community Center –371-4000, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.; Houtzdale Family Service Center – 378-5120, Mondays and Tuesdays, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.; Karthaus Center for Active Living – 263-7277, Mondays, noon – 1:00 p.m.; Kylertown Center for Active Living –345-6338, Fridays, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.; and Mahaffey Center for Active Living – 277-4544, Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
The produce must be fresh (not processed) and grown or grow-able in Pennsylvania. Four $5 vouchers will be distributed to individuals 60 years of age and older applying in
Clearfield County who meet income eligibility and residency requirements. The income limit this year is $20,036 for a single person and $26,955 for a married couple. However, these guidelines are subject to change. The federal guidelines that are in place the day of the distribution will be those that are used.
Identification showing date of birth and county (or town) residency is required when vouchers are picked up. A Social Security Card is not a valid form of identification for this purpose. Examples of acceptable identification include the following: a PA Drivers license, a state photo ID, an ATA Identification card, or a letter from the Social Security Administration stating age or date of birth.
Eligible individuals who cannot pick up their vouchers may name a Proxy to pick these up for them by signing an authorized Proxy form. Proxy forms are available at all county Centers for Active Living and also on the agency’s Web site. The form must be signed by the eligible individual prior to picking up the vouchers, and identification for both persons must be submitted by the proxy when applying for vouchers.
The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers are being made available in Clearfield County by the PA Department of Agriculture, through the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging. Distribution of the vouchers is assisted by volunteers of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program and the Volunteer Center of Clearfield County.
Those individuals who are interested in having lunch at a Center are asked to call prior to 9 a.m. to make their reservation. Any individual over the age of 60 may reserve a lunch and contribute to the cost of the meal on a donation basis. The cost of a meal for a person under age 60 is $3.00.
For more information, call your local Center for Active Living or the CCAAA at 765-2696 or 1-800-225-8571 or visit the Web site.
Programs and services of the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, Inc. are funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, Mature Resources Foundation, and local and client contributions.