$20 in free produce for qualifying Oceana seniors

August 5, 2015

Bountiful produce at Rennhack Orchards Market in Hart.

HART – AgeWell Services and the United Way of the Lakeshore are teaming up to distribute Project FRESH coupon vouchers to purchase Michigan-grown fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices and honey from farmers’ markets and roadside stands to qualifying seniors in Oceana County.

The coupon distribution will be at United Way of the Lakeshore, 907 S. State St., Hart, Wednesday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sweet corn at Rennhack Orchards Market.

Sweet corn at Rennhack Orchards Market.

To qualify for the coupons, you must:

– Be at least 60 years old;

– Live in Oceana County;

– Have a total household income of at or less than 185 percent of poverty (less than $21,590 for single and $29,101 for a couple).

The Project FRESH coupons are valid through Oct. 31, 2015 and can be used at the Pentwater Farmers’ Market or Rennhack Orchards Market in Hart. They can also be used at the Muskegon Farmers’ Market.

Project FRESH originates from U.S. Department of Agriculture funding. It is part of the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, and these federal dollars come out of the federal Farm Bill. The program was designed to benefit both farmers and seniors.

Since 1973, AgeWell Services has provided programs to address malnutrition and isolation for older adults. The Harbor Steel Meals on Wheels Kitchen at Tanglewood Park prepares and delivers more than 1,110 meals each day to seniors in Muskegon, Oceana, and Ottawa Counties. For more information, visit www.agewellservices.org.