SNAP dollars can go twice as far at Arkansas farmers’ markets

A large percentage of senior Arkansas residents worry about where their meals are coming from, according to AARP.

As a result, AARP recently released information reminding residents that about 60 farmers' markets in Arkansas accept the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Eating well can be especially challenging for low-income people who live far from stores that sell fresh produce at affordable prices. With the growing season in full swing, AARP Arkansas wants to remind those enrolled in SNAP that their benefits can go twice as far at participating farmers' markets. Under the Double Up Food Bucks program, SNAP dollars can double the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables shoppers take home.

A third of Arkansans 60 and older don't always know where they will get their next meal, according to the Arkansas Division of Aging and Adult Services. The state ranks 48th in general health, and poor nutrition can lead to chronic illnesses, higher rates of infection and slower recovery from illness or surgery.

Elderly households, which are defined as those with an individual over age 60, represented 19 percent of all SNAP recipients in fiscal year 2014.

Eighty-five percent received either Supplemental Security Income or Social Security, and 82 percent of elderly households receiving SNAP consisted of an elderly individual living alone. On average, elderly SNAP households received an average benefit of $129 per month.

According to research by AARP Foundation, a charitable affiliate of AARP, over 17 percent of adults over the age of 40 are food insecure. Food insecurity was worst for the 50 to 59 age group, with over 10 percent experiencing either low or very low food insecurity. Among the 60 to 69 age group, more than 9 percent experienced similar levels of food insecurity, and over 6 percent among the 70-plus population did.

Members of the younger age group are more at risk because they do not receive Social Security benefits and may not qualify for other nutrition assistance programs geared toward older Americans.

For details, go to aarp.org/ar.