Healthy Food For All

Each year, through the Farm Direct Nutrition Program (FDNP), federal funds are distributed to eligible seniors in the form of vouchers that can be used to purchase locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables directly from authorized farmers at farm stands and farmers markets. In 2010, FDNP provided nearly 30,000 seniors with fresh food and generated over $1 million dollars for 600 farmers across the state of Oregon.

FDNP vouchers are distributed on a first come, first served basis, so if you know of anyone eligible for this program, please encourage them to send in their response cards because funds go very quickly! (View a sample of the letter they would have recently received.) For questions regarding senior eligibility or check distribution, please call Oregon Health Authority at 1-866-299-3562.

Our friend Robyn Johnson at Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon shared with us that new federal funds have just become available to expand the Senior Farm Direct Program in Oregon. Additional funds would  provide fresh food for 9,400 additional seniors and result in more money going directly to our local farmers. However, the state needs to contribute a match in order to access these funds, so action is needed!

Visit this link to learn more about what you can do to help, or contact Robyn Johnson at 503-595-5501 x 303 or robyn@oregonhunger.org.