The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, headquartered in Harrisburg, PA, today announced it has been awarded a $35,000 grant from the Highmark Blue Shield to help fund its senior programs.
Through its ElderShare program, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank provides low income seniors with a fresh, nutritious box of food items every month. In 2018, the program helped more than 7,500 seniors struggling with hunger throughout the Food Bank’s 27-county service area.
The grant from the Highmark Blue Shield will help grow the Food Bank’s ElderShare program by increasing awareness of its senior programs and providing better analytics on the senior populations in Pennsylvania and the distance some travel to receive their boxes. It is also allowing the Food Bank to work with direct service programs like the West Shore Meals on Wheels, which is now delivering boxes directly to seniors in need without them having to leave their homes or send a caretaker or proxy to pick up the box.
“This wonderful grant from the Highmark Blue Shield will allow us to grow and sufficiently manage our ElderShare program and bring even more resources to the senior population of central Pennsylvania,” said Joe Arthur, Executive Director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. “We are grateful to partners like Highmark who understand the importance of senior health. Many seniors have special dietary needs and restrictions and these gifts allow us to purchase food items that fit their needs, like fresh produce, meat and dairy items.”
The Highmark Blue Shield grant will also support funding for increased advocacy with local, state and federal officials. The Food Bank often reaches out to legislators encouraging them to fund programs that help fight hunger such as the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) for seniors and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Food Bank will also increase their outreach to seniors, helping eligible seniors access SNAP.
“We are pleased to support the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and their work with senior populations,” said Kathleen McKenzie, vice president of Community Affairs for Highmark Blue Shield. “We know that fresh food is important for keeping our bodies healthy, but access to fresh food can be a challenge, especially for lower-income older adults. Our funding will help the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank reach more seniors through the ElderShare program and help them lead healthier lives.”