Food Assistance
Nutrition programs strive to provide seniors with healthy meals, but older adults may need additional food to meet their nutritional needs. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other programs may be helpful. Becoming familiar with and referring participants to these programs can help ensure that all older adults in your community have access to enough healthy food.
Guides
- Finding Food for Older Adults — Quick guide to food programs for older adults
Tools & Toolkits
- Benefits CheckUp— Comprehensive tool from NCOA that connects older adults and people with
disabilities to benefits - Nutrition Assistance Programs— U.S. Government Accountability Office report on nutrition needs of older adults
Resources
- Food Pharmacies Explainer — Primer on what food pharmacies are and who can benefit from them
- Food Assistance and Food System Resources— CDC resources for individuals and
families seeking food assistance - Food Assistance for Older Adults— Articles from NCOA about food assistance
- Food Assistance for Seniors Age 60 and Over— Links to USDA programs including SNAP, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and resources for military and veteran families
- Hunger Relief Organizations— USDA list of organizations that can be helpful for those who are struggling with food insecurity
- Nutrition Security— USDA programs and resources like nutrition research, webinar series, healthy eating on a budget, commodity programs, and program histories
- Partnerships With Food Banks and Other United States Department of Agriculture Programs — Frequently asked questions on how OAA programs can partner with SNAP, TEFAP, food banks, SFMNP, etc.
- Seniors & SNAP: 5 Myths Busted— NCOA addresses misconceptions that may keep older adults from applying for SNAP assistance
- SNAP and the Thrifty Food Plan— USDA information, FAQs, and resources
- SNAP for Older Adults— NCOA information on how SNAP can help pay for food and ensure good nutrition
- SNAP Online Purchasing— USDA page for finding retailers participating in the SNAP online purchasing pilot
- SNAP Special Eligibility Rules— USDA page on special SNAP eligibility rules for households with older adults or people with disabilities
- SNAP State Directory of Resources— Contact information for state SNAP offices
- State Data for Households Participating in SNAP— Interactive map from FRAC
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)— Info from USDA about SNAP and the nutrition benefits it provides to supplement family food budgets
- Kentucky River Regional Nutrition Resource Directory— Example of a regional food and meal resource directory