Seniors lined up Tuesday at the Schuylkill Regional Resource center in Mahanoy City to get their hands on a $20 voucher that can be used at a farmers market.
“Well it’s $20 to spend down at Hometown Market and get good vegetables and fruit down there,” said Shirley Mendofik of Mahanoy City.
The vouchers are given out through the state’s farmers market program. They’re available to folks 60 years and up who meet certain income guidelines.
“We have approximately 350 sets of vouchers to give out to folks in the Mahanoy City area. Each person receives $20 to be used for Pennsylvania grown or growable fruits and vegetables,” said program coordinator Susan Long. She added this is a way to benefit everyone across the area. “The whole program is to benefit definitely our seniors who are receiving the vouchers, plus the farmers in the area.”
Sharon Chiao from Mahanoy Township said this is the first time she has taking advantage of the voucher program.
“I think it’s much-needed in this area. I think it’s a very good benefit. We have a lot of low-income, a lot of elderly people and fruits and vegetables are so expensive that I think it’s something that they could use, very much so,” said Chiao.
The great thing about these farmers market vouchers is that even if the people don’t decide to use them right now, they have until November.
