State Resources

Telephone: 1-866-546-2111
Help is available Monday – Thursday 9 a.m.- 10 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m

Senior Food Box Program

The Senior Food Box Program works to improve the health of low-income seniors by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA Foods. In Pennsylvania, eligible participants include low-income individuals who are at least 60 years old and whose household income is at or below 130 percent of the U.S. poverty level.

The senior food boxes do not provide a complete diet, but rather are good sources of the nutrients typically lacking in the diets of older Americans. Among the types of foods included in the food boxes are: non-fat dry and shelf-stable fluid milk, juice, oats, ready-to-eat cereal, rice, pasta, dry beans, peanut butter, canned meat, poultry, or fish, and canned fruits and vegetables.

The Senior Food Box Program is supported through USDA’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program. The USDA purchases the food and makes it available to the Department of Agriculture, which works with local non-profit agencies to facilitate distribution of the monthly food boxes to eligible participants.

Seniors Interested in Participating?

Seniors should fill out the self-certification form and submit it to PDA via email at RA-fooddist@pa.gov. using the subject line “SENIOR FOOD BOX APPLICATION.” PDA will then route the application to the appropriate food bank providing service in the applicant’s county of residence.

Applicants can also call 1-800-468-2433 to be directed to the regional food bank distributing the Senior Food Box in their county of residence.

Refer to the Income Eligibility Guidelines.

Questions on this program should be directed to the program contact or by calling 1-800-468-2433, or emailing at RA-fooddist@pa.gov.

PA Senior Food Box Applicant Form