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Older & Wiser

Farmers’ Market Coupons Available and Home Care Worker Shortage

Lise-Anne Deoul
Posted 7/9/21

The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program provides an opportunity for eligible seniors to support local farmers and improve their health by increasing their consumption of locally grown …

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Older & Wiser

Farmers’ Market Coupons Available and Home Care Worker Shortage

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The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program provides an opportunity for eligible seniors to support local farmers and improve their health by increasing their consumption of locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables and fresh-cut herbs.

The Office will be distributing Farmers’ Market Coupon Booklets beginning July 9th. Each booklet contains five (5) $4 coupons, for a total of $20. Coupons are valid through November 30, 2021 at participating Farmers’ Markets.

Coupons are available to eligible seniors on a first-come, first-served basis. In order to take advantage of this program, you must be a New York State resident and 60 years of age or older. You must affirm that your income is:

  • 1-person household - $1,986 a month; or
  • 2-person household - $2,686 a month; or
  • 3-person household - $3,386 a month; or
  • currently receiving or eligible for SSI, public assistance, food stamps or Section 8 housing.

For further information, please contact the Office for the Aging at 845-807-0241.

Coupons will also be available at the following locations:           

[INSERT CHART]

Here in Sullivan County, as well as across NY State and the entire nation, there is a severe home care worker shortage. Although there are programs that can assist individuals who need home care to stay at home longer and safely, there is just not enough home care workers. The reasons for this are varied, but there are many entities working on improving this, one of which is NY Caring Majority.

NY Caring Majority worked closely with New York Senator May and New York Assemblyman Gottfried to create Fair Pay for Home Care (S5374/A6329) (www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/s5374), legislation that would raise home care worker pay to 150% of the highest area minimum wage across NY. The coalition is continuing to build momentum for next year's budget, and is working to demonstrate how serious the home care workforce shortage is across the state.

One of their new initiatives is the website: www.ICantFindHomeCare.com. This is an important new website that will gather stories and experiences of people across New York State who are being hit hard by our state’s worst-in-the-nation home care workforce shortage.

These stories will be shared with the decision makers with the power to solve this shortage by investing in the home care sector and raising wages for workers.

We encourage all affected by this home care shortage to complete the questionnaire.

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