The Southeast Texas Food Bank will distribute food boxes to low-income senior citizens in Orange County next week. It’s in collaboration with the Houston food bank.
"It’s called the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, but we call it the Senior Food Box Programs to simplify things,” said Daniel Maher, the Executive Director.
The Southeast Texas Food Bank says that the goal of the program is to distribute 2,000 food boxes per month starting August.
Seniors who are 60-years-old or older and earning less than 130 percent of the poverty level index for their household size can qualify for the food boxes.
"The enrollment process is very important for us to understand exactly how many out there do qualify and that we are able to serve"
Maher says knowing that will allow the non-profit to know if there will be a waiting list.
"We have to put together two thousand boxes every month, so volunteerism will be important,” said Maher.
The Southeast Texas food bank says that the elderly tend to be one of the most under-served groups.
"That’s because they come from a generation of not asking for things,” said Audine Rathbun, the Agency Relation Specialist.
The three locations of the food bank will be at the the Heritage Center at 10 a.m., Orange Christian Services at 11a.m, and the Optimist Senior Village at 11p.m.
Low-income seniors will be able to enroll for future food boxes at any of the locations.