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Low-income seniors eligible for farmers market vouchers

Lancaster Central Market is among the locations that accept Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. (Source: Provided)

Lancaster Central Market is among the locations that accept Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. (Source: Provided)
Lancaster Central Market is among the locations that accept Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. (Source: Provided)

The Lancaster County Office of Aging will distribute vouchers for the 2021 Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Voucher Program in the second half of May.

Each eligible participant will receive $24 in vouchers to be used at approved farmers markets to purchase Pennsylvania grown fruits and vegetables beginning June 1. The state Department of Agriculture has an online database of participating farmers markets and farm stands; it lists 69 vendors in Lancaster County.

To be eligible, seniors must turn 60 by the end of 2021, live in Lancaster County, and have household income less than $23,828 for 1 person or less than $32,227 for 2 people.

Seniors living in personal care or nursing homes are not eligible.

The Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Voucher Program encourages low-income seniors to eat healthy, fresh food and supports local Pennsylvania agriculture. It is run by the state Department of Agriculture with funding provided by its federal counterpart.

Each distribution event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dates and locations are as follows:

  • Wednesday, May 19: Longs Park Pavilion 3, 1401 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster (Drive Thru)
  • Thursday, May 20: Next Gen Senior Center, 184 S. Lime St., Quarryville (Drive Thru)
  • Monday, May 24: SACA Senior Center, 545 Pershing Ave,, Lancaster (Outside Walk Up)
  • Monday, May 24: Penn Manor Comet Field, 1800 Millersville Road, Lancaster (Drive Thru)
  • Tuesday, May 25: Glatfelter Memorial Field, 1249 Columbia Ave., Columbia (Drive Thru)
  • Wednesday, May 26: Lititz Senior Center, 201 Market St., Lititz (Drive Thru)
  • Thursday, May 27: Elizabethtown Brethren in Christ Church, 996 E. High St., Elizabethtown (Drive Thru)
  • Friday, May 28: Ephrata Rec Center, 130 S. Academy Drive, Ephrata (Drive Thru)

If you are not able to get to one of these locations, mail-in applications are available. You can either have a representative take your mail-in application to a drive-up event and get your vouchers there (Note: There is a limit of four applications per representative) or you can mail the application to Office of Aging.

Mail in applications can be obtained online at the Office of Aging's website or by calling the office at (717) 299-7979. Mail-in vouchers may take several weeks to process.

Due to Covid-19 and safety requirements, the Office of Aging will not distribute the vouchers at any other time this year.