July 16, 2010

Gardeners with bumper crops or a little extra produce now have an opportunity to bless their older friends and neighbors.

The North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging invites gardeners and Farmers’ Market vendors to donate fresh, undamaged produce to their local Senior Centers. Donated produce will be incorporated into centers’ Friendship Meals and enjoyed by grandmas and grandpas throughout North Central Kansas.

“Older Kansans love fresh produce like tomatoes, beans and cucumbers, and donations from gardeners are a real treat for people who dine at the Senior Centers or get home-delivered meals,” said Julie Govert Walter, Executive Director of the North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging.

Walter said that donated produce also helps Senior Centers control food costs at a time when senior programs are feeling a strong financial pinch.

To find out how to donate produce to your local Senior Center or to request more information, call the Agency on Aging’s central office at 1-800-432-2703 or 785-776-9294 or call your local Senior Center.