Centre County to distribute farmers market vouchers for seniors after delay
Distribution of farmers market vouchers for seniors will start this week in Centre County following some uncertainty about the timeline due to federal funding delays.
The vouchers, which are offered annually through the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program run by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, were scheduled to be distributed starting Monday. But when the Centre County Office of Aging didn't receive the vouchers last week, they announced that distribution would be delayed until further notice. The program for income-eligible seniors was affected as federal funding continues to undergo reappropriations, county officials said last week.
Centre County Office of Aging Director Quentin Burchfield said Tuesday that the vouchers arrived sooner than the Department of Agriculture told him they would, meaning that distribution could start as soon as possible.
'We were informed last week that there was going to be a two-week delay on the vouchers because [the department] had to repackage them, because they were sending out less than what they anticipated. As it turns out though, we did get them this week,' Burchfield said.
The county only received 5,315 of the 7,000 vouchers requested, Burchfield said, urging residents to 'not wait until the last minute,' to get the first, come, first served vouchers.
Last year, about 100 vouchers were left unused.
Centre County residents who will be 60 years or older by Dec. 31, 2025 can receive up to five vouchers worth $5 each, as long as they have a valid drivers license or ID and meet income eligibility requirements.
For a one-person household, the minimum income requirement is $28,953; for a two-person household it's $39,128; for a three-person household it's $49,303; and for a four-person household, it's $59,478.
Distributions will take place at the following times and places:
From 10 a.m. to noon, June 4, at the Madisonburg Senior Center
From 9 a.m. to noon, June 5, at the Philipsburg YMCA
From 10 a.m. to noon, June 10, at the Snow Shoe Senior Center
From 10 a.m. to noon, June 12, at the Centre Hall Senior Center
From 9:30-11:30 a.m., June 16, at the Centre Region Senior Center
The vouchers will also be distributed from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Willowbank Building on June 4-6, in rooms 144, 116 and 144 again, respectively.
Those who have questions about about the voucher program in Centre County can call the Office of Aging at 814-355-6716 or visit the program's website.
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