Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program kicks off June 1st

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program returns to South Carolina on Wednesday, June 1st.

Every year the Department of Social Services partners with the USDA and senior serving organizations to give nutritious produces to seniors in all 46 counties. To qualify the senior must be age 60 or older with a yearly income of around $23,000 or less. Each will receive 25 dollars in the form of five checks to purchase the produce. 

“We know that senior citizens face a variety of issues whether it is loneliness, maybe they have issues with transportation or that they need someone to help them with their grocery shopping and daily task. This is just a small way in which we can help put some fruits and vegetables in their hands. We know that the price of food like many things is going up as we’re dealing with inflation as a country,” says Connelly-Anne Ragley with the Department of Social Services. 

Ragley also says typically the program receives around 20 thousand applications each year.  The last two years due to the pandemic the application process was online and it brought many challenges for seniors. 

“When they complete the application, present their photo identification and if it’s approved, it will be approved right there on the spot and they will be able to take those 5 dollar vouchers home with them. So they won’t have to come back to a site to pick up the vouchers. They won’t have to wait for something in the mail and we won’t have to do online applications. So I want to be really clear you have to apply in person,” says Ragley.

Erika McCurley with Mccurley Farms is participating in the program and says these seniors deserve the freshest produce.

“I hope that they can come here and know that we are advocates for them, that we want them to be able to have access to life and nutrition and that’s an important part of how you live. If you don’t eat properly your body can’t function well. And so by having fresh fruits and vegetables, South Carolina grown only, then we are able to give them what they need.” says McCurley.

The following is a list of the application locations for Columbia:

• Hopkins Park  – 150 Hopkins Park Rd. Hopkins, SC 29061
  • Open June 6 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Grace United Methodist Church – 410 Harbison Blvd. Columbia, SC 29212
  • Open June 7 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Mt. Nebo Baptist Church – 8801 Bluff Rd. Eastover, SC 29044
  • Open June 8 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Delta Life Development Ctr. – 5307 Fairfield Rd. Columbia, SC 29203
  • Open June 9 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Killian Park Rec. Center – 1424 Marthan Rd. Blythewood, SC 29016
  • Open June 10 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Senior Resources, Inc. – 2817 Millwood Ave. Columbia, SC 29205
  • Open June 13 from 1-3 p.m.

The vouchers are on a first-come, first serve basis.