According to Feeding America, the leading national food bank in America, the rate of hunger among seniors aged 60 and older has increased by 45% since 2001, a lingering effect of the 2008-09 recession. And hunger pains can be increasingly painful as we age:

  •  63% of senior households served by the Feeding America network are forced to choose between food and medical care. 

  •  Households served by the Feeding America network that include an adult of the age 50 or older are at an increased risk of having someone with a chronic health condition, including diabetes (41%) and high blood pressure (70%) — conditions that can be mitigated by healthy food options. 

  •  Only 42% of eligible seniors are enrolled and receiving SNAP benefits (formerly Food Stamps) — making assistance programs for SNAP enrollment that much more important for seniors