Submitted by Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging
As farmers market season draws to a close, Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA) announces a new milestone – for the first-time ever, older adults in Thurston County claimed all of the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) benefit cards allotted for 2024.
Due to elevated demand, LMTAAA expanded its 2024 SFMNP allotment for Thurston County to continue providing area older adults with access to market fresh nutrition beyond its initial limits. Lewis County came within 21 allocations of reaching its threshold while Mason County came within seven.
An annual no-cost benefit provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as well as state and local funding, SFMNP provides eligible older adults in Lewis, Mason, and Thurston counties with $80 in fresh fruits, vegetables, and honey from participating local farmers markets. To qualify, older adults must meet age and monetary thresholds, including an income below 185% of the federal poverty level.
LMTAAA’s 2024 SFMNP program closed September 30 after granting funds to nearly 2,350 Lewis, Mason and Thurston County seniors. Recipients have until October 31 to redeem funds.
A Feeding America report ranked Lewis County at 12th and Mason County at 13th when it came to highest food insecurity rates in Washington State. Thurston County was listed in 31st place among 39 counties.
Feeding America states more than five million older adults in the U.S. were food insecure in 2021. Causes include lack of transportation, mobility-limiting disabilities, fixed incomes, and social isolation.
