How do I get a free monthly food box?

What this means

• The box holds roughly 30 pounds of shelf-stable food — canned vegetables, protein, cereal, juice, rice, and a block of cheese. It supplements groceries rather than replacing them.
• You must be 60 or older and under the program's income limit, and you enroll once rather than reapplying each month.
• Not every county offers it, and some counties keep a waiting list. That is a supply limit, not a judgment about you.

What to do first

1. Call your Area Agency on Aging through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 and ask, "Who distributes the senior food box in this county?"
2. Ask to be put on the waiting list if the slots are full, then ask what other monthly distributions exist in the meantime.
3. Ask whether someone else can pick the box up for you and what form authorizes that, which matters if you do not drive.
4. Apply for SNAP as well. The box does not affect your SNAP amount.

What you'll need

• Photo identification showing your date of birth
• Proof of address
• Proof of income for the last 30 days
• A helper's name if someone else will pick up the box for you

Where to go

• Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx — ask for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program contact.
• USDA state agency contacts: https://www.fns.usda.gov/contacts — the state office can name the food bank that distributes in your area.