According to Feeding America’s The State of Senior Hunger in America annual report, 5.3 million senior citizens, or 7.3% of the senior population (60 and older), are food insecure. Second Harvest works to combat senior hunger through our Partner Agencies, SNAP application outreach, and through feeding programs specifically designed to serve senior citizens, including the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).

CSFP provides monthly USDA food boxes to income-eligible seniors 60 and older. The food packages consist of canned foods, juice, cereal, milk, pasta, and cheese. The Tennessee Department of Health administers the program in 3 counties statewide and we partner with them to serve Davidson County. We currently serve 2,100 CSFP participants through 4 distribution sites where participants pick up their boxes, as well as home deliveries for homebound participants. Our distribution sites are Catholic Charities North, Catholic Charities Pastoral Center, Hillcrest United Methodist Church, and Martha O’Bryan Center. Second Harvest conducts home deliveries to senior apartment buildings and individual homes. 

In addition to providing nutritious monthly food boxes, the CSFP also offers vouchers to participants through the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program to purchase produce at the farmers’ market during the months of July and August. The vouchers provide participants with the opportunity to buy fresh, local produce they don’t receive in their monthly food boxes.

If you are interested in learning more about the CSFP or referring someone to the program, please contact Leigh Blancato (leigh.blancato@secondharvestmidtn.org or 615-627-1582).