Lackawanna County’s Area Agency on Aging recently announced the final distribution dates of the year for an annual program providing older adults free vouchers they can exchange for fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs at participating farmers markets and farm stands.
Administered locally by the Area Agency on Aging and perennially popular in Lackawanna County, the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program provides county residents who meet certain age and income guidelines with five voucher checks worth $5 each, for a total value of $25. Voucher distribution began in mid-June and will wrap up next month after another successful season, county AAA Director Sara McDonald said.
“We are inundated with calls for this program way before it even starts,” she said in a phone interview. “The demand is high. People respond. People come out eager to get (the vouchers), and we’re happy to be able to help get them in the hands of older adults throughout Lackawanna County.”
After opening the season with more than 27,550 voucher checks, McDonald said the agency had about 750 sets of five remaining as of Friday.
While supplies last, staff will distribute them July 27, July 29, Aug. 3 and Aug. 5 from 10 a.m. to noon in the lobby of the Lackawanna County Government Center, 123 Wyoming Ave., Scranton. If vouchers still remain after those dates distributions will continue in the same location on Aug. 10 and Aug. 12, closing out the program, officials said in a press release.
To qualify for the vouchers, individuals must be at least 60 years old by the end of 2026, live in Lackawanna County and have an annual income that doesn’t exceed $29,526 for a single person; $40,034 for a couple; $50,542 for a three-person household; or $61,050 for a household of four people. Residents who already received vouchers this year are ineligible, McDonald confirmed.
Beyond supporting area farmers, she said the program encourages older adults to shop locally and eat healthy by helping them afford fresh produce.
Voucher checks are distributed exclusively in-person on a first-come, first-served basis, and voucher recipients must bring a valid Pennsylvania ID to the distribution site. Seniors unable to pick up their own vouchers can appoint and send a proxy, with proxy forms available online at lackawannacounty.org by clicking the “Area Agency on Aging” link under the “Government” tab at the top of the website.
Residents with questions about the program should call the Area Agency on Aging at 570-963-6740.