U.S. Senators and Aging Committee members Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) introduced on Tuesday the Delivering for Rural Seniors Act, a bipartisan bill to support the delivery of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), commonly known as the “senior food box.”
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is a federal food assistance program that provides monthly food boxes to low-income seniors. However, seniors living in rural areas, seniors with disabilities, and those without reliable transportation often do not receive home delivery services from food banks participating in CSFP. The Delivering for Rural Seniors Act would address this gap by creating a pilot program to fund grants specifically for the delivery of CSFP to these underserved populations.
Glass
“Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity with one-third reporting cutting back on meals, buying cheaper and less nutritious foods, or skipping meals altogether,” Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana President & CEO Fred Glass said. “Transportation is an even greater impediment in rural communities that typically have no public transportation options at all. Addressing senior hunger in rural communities is complex, and we support efforts to promote food security and the health and well-being of seniors.”
The bill marks a significant step toward addressing food insecurity among seniors and improving the effectiveness of the CSFP through innovative delivery methods.
Braun
“No senior in America should go hungry,” said Sen. Braun, who serves as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research. “This bill will help rural seniors and those with disabilities get access to food bank services to help cut down on the issue of food insecurity among older Americans.”
In addition to Sens. Braun and Kelly, this bill has broad bipartisan support in the Senate. The House version was introduced by Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.-19) and is co-sponsored by 16 Democrats and 13 Republicans.