Tables lined the front of the room, stacked with peaches, strawberries, tomatoes, avocados, collard greens and sweet potatoes. Older adults shopped a few at a time, coupon books in hand, and walked away with armfuls of fresh produce.
This was the scene at Central West Senior Center in Chicago’s Near West Side, where the Food Depository distributed coupon books through the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). Participants could use their coupons at a pop-up farmers market held at the center.
Billy Coates stands in front of tables filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, holding his farmers market coupons at the Central West Senior Center. (Photos by Abel Uribe for the Greater Chicago Food Depository.)
The USDA program gives income-qualifying older adults coupons for fresh fruits and vegetables, honey and fresh-cut herbs. Participants spend the coupons with approved farmers, farmers markets, roadside stands and community-supported agriculture programs, which then submit them for reimbursement. In addition to helping older adults access nutritious food, the program provides income to the farmers and other vendors who participate.
The Food Depository distributes the coupons in Chicago each summer, and they can be used from July through October. Each participant receives $40 in coupons to spend on eligible foods. Last year, we distributed 12,770 coupons to Chicago seniors.
Making fresh food more affordable
For older adults living on fixed incomes, $40 can make a meaningful difference when rising grocery costs put pressure on household budgets. The coupons can help participants add more fruits and vegetables to their diets without having to choose between produce and other household expenses.
Maria Cervantes holds two bags filled with fresh produce she selected using her Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons at the Central West Senior Center.
Maria Cervantes, 65, first learned about the farmers market coupons through the pantry at Central West.
"Everything is so expensive at the store right now. This helps so much."
"Thank you for this," she said while filling her bags with greens and other produce. "Everything is fresh and I can get so many good foods like avocados and mangoes."
Bringing fresh food closer to home
For Theresa Reid, one of the biggest benefits is how easy it is to access produce. Reid lives in Roosevelt Square, just three blocks from Central West, and has been in the neighborhood since 1954.
"I'm already planning a meal. I'm gonna make a pot roast," she said. "I have the potatoes, the carrots, everything I need. I can't wait."
Theresa Reid planned her dinner while shopping at the Central West Senior Center, where she used her farmers market coupons to pick up ingredients for a pot roast.
Reid has shopped at farmers markets downtown, but said the cost can sometimes be a barrier. "This one is a good price. It's great that they come here to the senior center so it's accessible for all of the seniors that come here," she said.
"Getting the extra $40 toward fresh produce is very helpful for people and also good for their health."
Putting healthy food on the table
Cleaven Wardlow left with spinach, collard greens, green tomatoes, blueberries and a jar of fresh raw honey, already eyeing the peaches for a second trip. "All this is gonna go to good use," he said.
Wardlow, 82, grew up a few blocks from Central West and has been coming to the neighborhood’s senior center for years. His wife does most of the cooking, so the food he selected was headed to their kitchen. This is their second year receiving the coupons.
With tomatoes and blueberries in hand, Cleaven Wardlow prepares to take fresh produce home to his wife and family.
"My wife and I love this food, because it's healthy and fresh," he said. "She will be very excited to cook all this. It's not every day we get easy access to produce like this, so this is nice."
From Cervantes choosing the foods her family enjoys, to Reid planning a pot roast, to Wardlow bringing home ingredients for his wife to cook, the coupons give older adults more opportunities to bring fresh food from the market table to their own dinner tables.
And that is part of what it means to ensure our neighbors have the food they need to thrive: making nutritious food more affordable, bringing it closer to home and giving people more choice in the foods they bring home and share with their families.
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