RiceDepot.Org | Food For Seniors

Food For Seniors
For many seniors living on fixed incomes, money runs out long before the month ends. The Arkansas Rice Depot developed the Food for Seniors program to address a gap in services for homebound senior citizens in Pulaski County. Through your continued donations, our goal for 2007-08 is to expand this service so that we may serve seniors in other Arkansas counties.

For those, tough choices must be made just to get by. Some don't qualify for meals on wheels. Others may qualify but lack the service in their area or they find themselves on a waiting list. When a homebound senior is facing a hunger crisis and is unable to get to a food pantry, the Arkansas Rice Depot Food For Seniors program means the difference in having food to eat and doing without.

Once each month, volunteers and staff prepare food boxes and deliver them to senior citizens in Pulaski County. Local human service and hunger relief agencies refer individuals to the Arkansas Rice Depot. Last year, volunteers delivered a total of 25,052 pounds of food to 41 households for 50 home-bound senior citizens. (That's an average of 51 pounds of food & supplies per household per month!)

Food For Seniors By The Numbers

$642
Average monthly income
10%
Percentage living in subsidised housing
$79
Average monthly food expenditure
50%
Percentage of seniors that spend twice as much on medications as food

How You Can Help

Contributions of food and money are essential in supporting the Food For Seniors program. Your organization can help support this important mission of the Arkansas Rice Depot by hosting a Food For Seniors food drive. For more information about organizing a Food For Seniors food drive, please call Food For Seniors Director Terri Rowlan at (501) 565-8855 or e-mail her at trowlan@ricedepot.org.
Organizations already planning a food drive can click the image at right to download an official flyer (in .pdf format) advertising the event.




Food For Seniors Profile: Fred
   "This is Fred. I just called to say how much this food means to me. I know God is going to bless you all for it." The call came to our president, who gives the account of Fred's story:
   Fred is a new friend. I met him when Arkansas Rice Depot and Potluck started our Food For Seniors program that delivers food to homebound seniors. He said his $500 Social Security check doesn't cover the bills. He pays a little on every one of his medical bills each month, but it doesn't leave much for food.
   When we arrived in December, he had a Christmas card waiting, to thank us for the food. In January, I called to see if he needed a food delivery. "I'm trying to figure out my bills and I didn't know what to do," he said. "My gas bill is half my check! I'm going to be real careful with my food box, because it's going to be all the food I get this month. I know God is going to bless you folks."
I just called to say how much that food means to me. I know God is going to bless you all for it.

Food For Seniors Profile: Dorothy
   Today, I received a call from "Dorothy." She called to say thanks. It's difficult to be on the receiving end of a food box. Most people still feel embarrassed to have to ask for food, and usually we don't hear from our friends living in poverty unless they are desperate once again for food.
   I was so pleased when I received Dorothy's call. She wanted to thank us for her food box that she received through Food for Seniors. Her birthday just happened to be on the date we were delivering food. We included a birthday card with her food box. We also asked the group of teenagers delivering the food to sing "Happy Birthday" for her.
   Dorothy explained that her daughter helped her out as much as possible. However, that week, her daughter was sick and didn't want to risk passing her illness on to her mom. Dorothy said that she was afraid that she spend her birthday home alone. When the group came by with the nice box of food, the card and the song, it made her day. Dorothy said it was one of the best birthday presents she had ever received.

How Many Impoverished Seniors Live In Your County?
For statistics on the number of senior citizens (ages 65+) living in poverty in your area, click your county on the map below. Use your browser's back button to return to this page.

For Help Or More Information...
If you or someone you know is in need of assistance or you would like more information on this very important program, contact us Terri Rowlan at (501) 565-8855 or via e-mail at trowlan@ricedepot.org.