The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank works with the Federation of Virginia Food Banks on a statewide level to help ensure that every senior has enough to eat.
When you sign up for Advocacy Alerts we’ll let you know when to contact elected officials to encourage them to support initiatives benefiting seniors in the Blue Ridge.
More than 100,000 older Virginians facing hunger miss out on a program that puts more healthy food on the table. Only 2 out of 5 eligible seniors are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). One reason is an inadequate benefit amount, currently as low as $23 per month.
By increasing the minimum benefit to just $50 per month, we can ensure that more older adults access the groceries they need to thrive.
Too many older Virginians are leaving money on the table that could ease their grocery expenses and improve their health.
Studies show that the low starting benefit of $23 per month can deter older adults from applying, particularly when combined with additional barriers to participation such as complex application processes, transportation challenges, and stigma.
According to Feeding America, approximately 163,000 seniors in Virginia are living with hunger, with much higher rates in rural areas and among people of color. Rising food costs reduce the purchasing power of the minimum SNAP benefit of $23 per month.
Increasing the minimum benefit to $50 per month can help ensure more seniors can buy healthy essentials like produce, dairy, and protein.
Research shows that SNAP participation among low-income seniors improves health outcomes and lowers healthcare costs including:
Increasing the minimum benefit to $50 per month could help seniors maintain better nutrition, which is linked to improved overall health and reduced healthcare expenses.
Sign up for our Advocacy Alerts, and we’ll let you know when to contact elected officials to encourage them to support initiatives benefiting seniors in the Blue Ridge.
