More senior citizens in Warren County will qualify for the state’s Senior Food Box Program under new federal guidelines.

The U.S. Agriculture Department increased the federal poverty level for the Community Supplemental Food Program from 130% to 150%, making more residents eligible for aid. Hunger-Free Pennsylvania administers CSFP in Pennsylvania as the Senior Food Box Program.

“Our seniors deserve fresh, nutritious, and healthy food,” Hunger-Free Pennsylvania Executive Director Stuart I.R. Haniff, MHA, said. “Updating the guidelines to better reflect the challenges older Pennsylvanians face today means more people will have consistent access to the vital resources they need to fight food insecurity.”

The Community Supplemental Food Program helps the food box program by buying food and giving it to the Department of Agriculture for the senior food boxes, which are distributed by Hunger-Free Pennsylvania’s member food banks. The Second Harvest Food Bank administers the Senior Food Box program locally, with six sites in Warren County. Senior Food Boxes include fresh cheese and canned, bottled and boxed items that include fruit, vegetables, cereal, juice, meat or fish and instant or evaporated milk.

Hunger-Free Pennsylvania will increase its caseload by 2,712 individuals proportionately across the state within its 16-food bank service area. Under the new income level, the number of Pennsylvania seniors who are eligible for the Pennsylvania Senior Food Box Program will increase from 343,485 individuals at 130 percent to 645,685 at 150 percent. Only about 35,000 are enrolled to receive it this year.

“It is absolutely critical that we ensure necessary funding so we can keep pace with rising costs and expanded eligibility to ensure we reach these new tiers of Pennsylvania seniors in need,” Haniff said.

For more information email Email SeniorFoodBox@nwpafoodbank.org to register. Seniors can also fill out the self-certification form found on Agriculture’s website at www.pa.gov/en/agencies/pda/food/food-assistance/senior-food-box-program.html or call 800-468-2433 to be directed to the regional food bank distributing the senior food box in their county of residence.

Second Harvest officials told the Times Observer earlier this year that the organization is seeing a 25.3% increase in the level of need in early 2024 than it did in 2023. Karen Seggi, the organization’s CEO, said the 33 percent increase across its service area is the “greatest increase in need for food assistance” that’s been seen in the last four years.