Diakon Community Services to distribute farm market vouchers

Pottstown (Friday June 3, 2022)

Farm market vouchers will soon be available to eligible Schuylkill County older adults.

There are several ways to receive the vouchers. Applicants may visit a county Senior Community Center Tuesday and Thursday beginning Thursday, June 16 through July 7 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Centers are located at:

Mahanoy City Senior Community Center - 38 W. Centre St., Mahanoy City

Pottsville Senior Community Center - 201 N. Centre St., Pottsville

Schuylkill Haven Senior Community Center - 340 Haven St., Schuylkill Haven

Tremont Senior Community Center - 139 Clay St., Tremont

 

Additional distributions are scheduled for the following locations:

June 17, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Shenandoah Senior Citizen’s, 232 N Market St., Shenandoah

June 18, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Kenny Stehr & Sons Farmer’s Market, 29 Kettle Rd., Pitman

June 22, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Hometown Farmers Market, 125 Mahanoy Ave., Tamaqua

June 28, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Zion Lutheran Church, 4th & Lewis St., Minersville

July 1,    9 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Shenandoah Senior Citizen’s, 232 N. Market St., Shenandoah  

Final distribution event will occur August 9, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. at the “Taste and See - Pennsylvania Produce” event at The Island, Broadway Street, Schuylkill Haven.

To be eligible, applicants must turn 60 before Dec. 31 of this year and be a county resident. Income guidelines for eligibility are $25,142 for a single-person household and $33,874 for a two-person household, including investment interest, wages, Social Security, unemployment and similar distributions.

The voucher program does not include older adults living in nursing care centers or other residential facilities in which meals are provided.

ONLY ONE SET OF CHECKS IS DISTRIBUTED TO ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS EACH YEAR.

Diakon Community Services will not be mailing any vouchers this year. For those unable to attend a distribution, seniors may have someone else pick up vouchers on their behalf. Appointed individuals must present a completed application for those whose vouchers they are receiving. Application forms are available on the Diakon Community Services website at https://www.diakon.org/community-services/, on Diakon Community Services’ Facebook pages and at the following locations:

Redner’s Warehouse Markets  

  • 191 Manheim Rd., Schuylkill Haven
  • 1 Gold Star Highway, Shenandoah
  • 22 Forest Dr, Hegins

Boyer’s Food Stores’ customer service desk:

  • 150 E. Center St., Ashland
  • 550 W. Oak St., Frackville
  • 318 S. Hancock St., McAdoo
  • 329 S. Liberty St., Orwigsburg
  • 131-134 W. Main St., Schuylkill Haven
  • 600 W. Center St., Shenandoah
  • 210 Cedar St., Tamaqua
  • Yorkville, 2247 W. Market St., Pottsville

BG’s Value Market

  • 24 Pleasant Valley Rd., Pine Grove
  • 70 Kings Village, Minersville

Mahanoy City Food Store, 28 S Main St., Mahanoy City

As in past years, Diakon Community Services is administering the 2022 Senior Farm Market Nutrition Program. The vouchers are a program of the state Department of Agriculture.

For more information, people may contact Diakon Community Services at (570) 624-3014. Diakon operates various local programs under contract with the Schuylkill County Office of Senior Services, with funding from the state Department of Aging.