Explore Our Work

Seniors

An estimated 5.3 million people age 60 years of age and older experience food insecurity [i]. Poor health can be both a cause and a consequence of food insecurity, and older adults face a number of unique medical and mobility challenges that can be a barrier to accessing enough nutritious food. . After a lifetime of hard work, many find themselves struggling to make ends meet and stay in good health on fixed incomes. At times, seniors must choose between paying for groceries and buying medicine—a difficult choice with potentially severe health implications.

Feeding America® addresses the unique challenges of senior food insecurity through interventions that consider the diverse health needs, mobility and transportation barriers, physical limitations, and dietary restrictions and preferences of older adults. As the proportion of people over the age of 60 continues to grow, Feeding America continues to develop innovative initiatives to provide more healthy food to more seniors in need. Together we can ensure older adults have access to the food they need to stay healthy and strong. Together, we can solve senior food insecurity.

The latest announcements​​​ and Feeding America national priorities related to senior programs can be found here.


Resources for Organizations and Individuals that Serve Seniors:

Help Close the Senior SNAP Gap

Only 48 percent of eligible seniors nationwide are enrolled and receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Feeding America recognizes the importance of the SNAP program to close the hunger gap for seniors across the United States. As professionals and concerned individuals, we play a critical role in helping more seniors receive their entitled benefits. Additional resources to help with this work include:

Sources

  1. Ziliak, J.P. & Gundersen, C. (2020) The State of Senior Hunger in America 2018: An Annual Report Published by Feeding America.