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Right here in southwest Missouri, there are thousands of seniors living on fixed incomes who can’t always access nutritious meals. Good nutrition is important at all stages of life, but it’s particularly impactful for adults over age 60. With inflation rising in recent years, Ozarks Food Harvest has taken a closer look at how we can help our elderly neighbors access the food they need to thrive.

Many seniors with a fixed income already have to budget carefully, depending heavily or entirely on set monthly checks from sources like Social Security. Any small change in circumstances, like medical issues or price increases, could be detrimental to a fixed income. Add to that the increased costs of food and basic necessities, and you have a lot more seniors wondering if their budget will last the month.

To compensate, seniors may choose cheaper, less healthy food options – or skip meals entirely – to prioritize expenses such as rent and medication. As a result, our elderly neighbors might not get the necessary foods to stay healthy. Adults over 60 are especially at risk of health issues when they don’t get the nutrients they need.

Donors and volunteers like you help support several programs that increase seniors’ access to nourishing meals. With your help, The Food Bank is able to provide food, grants and technical assistance to local hunger-relief charities. Our partner charities include senior centers, churches and food pantries that serve groceries and hot meals to seniors experiencing food insecurity.

In 2022, Ozarks Food Harvest started the Senior Mobile Produce Pantry – a Mobile Food Pantry program that brings produce, protein and pantry staples to seniors in rural communities. Ozarks Food Harvest’s Senior Food program also provides USDA food boxes, which are packed by our generous volunteers.

One of the communities we serve is the town of Sheldon, where Mary picked up food from our Mobile Food Pantry. “These programs are so important, especially with the economy today,” she shared. “A lot of seniors are just not making it. I never thought I’d be in a food bank line, and here I am. This food makes it so that I don’t have to worry month-to-month about meeting those deadlines because you only get paid once a month.”

We need your help to ensure local seniors like Mary get the nourishment needed to stay healthy and independent. To help fight senior hunger, give now at ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate.