Agency brings market to seniors

NORTH OLMSTEDThe Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging understands that sometimes older adults don't have the transportation to visit area farmers markets, so instead it brought the vendors to them.

North Olmsted resident Kathryn Reindle was grateful when she arrived at the senior center Tuesday afternoon and saw tents stocking fresh-from-the-farm favorites like zucchini, squash, onions, potatoes and radishes.

"It's hard for us (seniors) to go out to farmers markets," Reindle said. "We come here for the lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and now we can buy produce, too. It makes everything convenient."

As part of the Ohio Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program for low income seniors, $50 in vouchers were mailed out to qualifying residents, like Reindle, to use at participating farmers markets and Tuesday's "Mobile Market."

Janice Davis, nutrition manager at the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging, said single household seniors were required to report an annual income of $20,035 or less, and double occupancy qualified with an income of $26,954 or less.

Using a $5 voucher, Reindle purchased tomatoes, zucchini, onions and peppers from the Village Smithy of Homerville, Cherry Knoll Farms of Spencer and Richardson Farms of Medina.

One $25 set of the vouchers must be used by July 31, and the other vouchers will expire Oct. 31.

"Our goal is to have the seniors who utilized the coupons to begin scheduling to use them in the fall," Davis said.

A grant funded by a portion of the United States Farm Bill implemented the program, now three years in existence in northeastern Ohio.

Although anyone can shop the Mobile Market, it is ideal for older adults as a supplement to their food budgets and income, Davis said.

In Cuyahoga County, 3,300 sets of coupons were mailed out to income-eligible seniors, of which 100 people received vouchers in North Olmsted....