The Area Agency on Aging is pleased to announce the availability of a $20 coupon booklet for low-income senior citizens for the purchase of fruits and vegetables at certified farmers markets in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
“The Area Agency on Aging has established nine sites for the distribution of the free senior farmers market coupons thanks to the cooperation of our local certified markets,” said Amy Mallett, chair of the Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council. “Seniors interested in applying for the Senior Farmers Market coupons should attend the distribution site nearest them. A schedule of the distribution sites is below.”
The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program is a 100 percent federally funded program which provides low-income seniors with check booklets that can be used to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables at Certified Farmers’ Markets. The program is administered nationally by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services Agency, and in California, by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. In 2015, CDFA is providing seniors with almost $890,000 in check booklets to redeem at WIC authorized CFMs.
“CDFA partners with California’s Area Agencies on Aging to distribute the SFMNP check booklets, which include 10 checks redeemable for $2 each,” Mallett said. “The AAAs serve this purpose well because they administer several senior programs on a local level.
“At the check distribution sites, seniors that meet the age and low income eligibility requirements receive one $20 check booklet a year and nutrition education information. Fruits and vegetables are an important component of a healthy diet. I hope seniors will avail themselves of these coupons and enhance their diet with fruits and vegetables with these free coupons.”
The distribution sites include:
San Luis Obispo County
» Arroyo Grande Certified Farmers Market — Wednesday, Aug. 19, 8:30 to 11 a.m., Smart & Final, 1464 E. Grand Ave
» Atascadero Certified Farmers Market — Wednesday, Aug. 12, 3 to 6 p.m., Albertsons parking lot
» Baywood/Los Osos Certified Farmers Market — Monday, Aug. 24, 2 to 4:30 p.m., Santa Maria Street between Second and Third, Baywood
» Paso Robles Certified Farmers Market — Tuesday, Aug. 11, 3 to 6 p.m., 11th and Spring streets, Paso Robles
» SLO Saturday Morning Certified Farmers Market — Saturday, Aug. 29, 8 to 10:30 a.m., World Market parking lot, 25 Madonna Road
Santa Barbara County
» Downtown Santa Barbara City Farmers Market — Saturday, July 25, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., corner of Santa Barbara and Cota streets
» Lompoc Certified Farmers Market — Friday, July 31, 2 to 6 p.m., Oceano and I streets
» Goleta, Camino Real Farmers Market — Sunday, July 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 7004 MarketPlace Drive
» Santa Maria Certified Farmers Market — Wednesday, July 29, noon to 4 p.m., Broadway and Main in Mervyns shopping parking lot
For more information, please call Joyce Ellen Lippman, executive director, at 805.925.9554, 805.965.3288, 805.541.0384 or 800.510.2020.
— Joyce Ellen Lippman is director of the Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens-Area Agency on Aging.