Area seniors 60 years of age and older who live on a fixed income may be eligible for a monthly food supplement program being offered through the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services.

Currently more than 70 seniors have signed up to receive boxes of non-perishable food items through the program at the monthly distribution held at the Genoa Area Food Pantry, operated at Trinity United Methodist Church, according to Barb Myers, a pantry board member and volunteer.

To be eligible, applicants must be 60 or older and meet income guidelines. Seniors must complete an application for approval.

Once approved, seniors receive a monthly 40- to 50-pound food package containing an assortment of non-perishable foods, like fruit juices, canned fruit and vegetables, cereal, pastas, dried and evaporated milk products, canned meats and peanut butter.

The Genoa location began distributing boxes in May and the numbers of participants have grown steadily, Myers said.

“We went from 50 and are now up to 71 boxes,” Myers said. “Every recipient has said the boxes have been such a help for them because their medications, taxes and other expenses take so much out of their monthly income.

“Many of them are in their mid- to late-70s and have worked all their lives,” she said. “They are very proud and for a lot of them, it’s hard to ask for and take help.

“We try to tell them that this is something that’s available to help them – it’s something they deserve,” she said.

Though most of the recipients at the Trinity United Methodist location are from the Genoa, Elmore and Woodville areas, Myers says they welcome applications from anyone who is willing to drive to the church to pick up their commodities.

“We’re willing to take applications from anyone who qualifies – we haven’t turned anyone away,” she said. “But if we’re going to continue to grow, we will need more volunteers to help.”

Currently Myers and her husband, with the help of another couple, Sue and Dave Sparks, make the monthly trip to the SeaGate Food Bank in Toledo to pick up the pre-packaged boxes.

“The only way these boxes can get to our seniors is through volunteers,” she said.

The boxes are distributed the fourth Thursday of the month from 9 to 11 a.m. at Trinity United Methodist, located at Fourth and Main streets in Genoa.

In the same location, the Genoa Area Food Pantry is open the second Saturday of the month, 10 a.m. to noon and the fourth Thursday of the month from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

The pantry, which is open to residents of the Genoa Area Schools District, currently serves 42 families a month or more, Myers said.

“Through support of the sponsoring churches – Trinity, St. John’s United Church of Christ, St. John’s Lutheran Church in Williston, Our Lady of Lourdes, Christ Community and Genoa Christian Church – and donations, we’ve been able to keep up with demand,” Myers said, adding that monetary and food donations are always welcome.

“A few of the seniors who get the monthly commodities also get help from the food pantry, but many don’t – they feel the boxes are enough,” Myers said, adding that if someone not in the school district reaches out for help, pantry volunteers direct them to a food pantry in their area.

How to apply
Applications for the CSFP are available at senior centers, at Genoa-area churches or by calling Myers at 419-855-8539 or St. John’s UCC at 419-855-3906.

More information is also available by calling Ottawa County Senior Resources at 419-898-6459.

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