Applications open for High Plains Food Bank’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — The Commodity Supplemental Food Program was given to the High Plains Food Bank seven years ago by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The program supplies a senior with a supplemental food box that is filled with food fit for their nutritional needs.

Andrea Johnson, HPFB assistant director, said there are currently 5,000 seniors who are in the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. Still, many are either inconsistent or don’t show up to receive their food box.

“Currently monthly we’re serving about 2,300 seniors and we could feed many, many more,” Johnson said. “In addition to the CSFP box that we have, we also have a supplemental food box, so what seniors we aren’t able to give a CSFP box to because we only have a caseload that is issued to us by the TDA, we have a secondary box that is exactly the same, also with a 2lbs block of cheese that we’re able to give seniors.”

The program’s end goal is to get food into the hands of every senior who needs it, and applications to join the program are open. Eligibility for the program is age and income-based, requiring the applicant to be at least 60 years of age and their household to make below a monthly income limit.

“For a single-person household they need to make $1,632 to less to qualify,” Johnson said. “If you add additional family members to that, the income amounts go up and the easy way to check this is to go to our website.”

Johnson said to receive a food box, seniors can visit the High Plains Food Bank’s warehouse on the first and third Thursday of every month from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., or by visiting the nearest distribution point.

“If you are in a rural county or a rural area, we do have distribution,” she said. “So even if you are in Frtich, for example, we do a distribution in Borger. So you can go over to Borger to get that distribution.”

According to Johnson, seniors can join the line and only need their ID and to self-declare their income to receive their food box.

“You don’t need to bring proof of income,” she said. “You just tell us what you make and you’ll go home with a box of food that day.”

Johnson said if it weren’t for the food boxes, these seniors would fully rely on shopping in dollar stores or value shopping.

“Many only eat from the $1 menu,” she said. “This box has lower or no sugar, lower or no salt, and good fibers. It’s a good balanced diet that is in this box.”

For more information about the Commodity Supplemental Food Program or to download an application, visit the High Plains Food Bank’s website.

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