MVES Participates in USDA COVID-19 Food Assistance Program

Mystic Valley Elder Services, in collaboration with the Massachusetts
Executive Office of Elder Affairs, is taking part in the United States
Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
Farmers to Family Box Program.

Eight Councils on Aging and Senior Centers in Mystic Valley Elder
Services’ service area participated in the program receiving a total of
865 food boxes to distribute to older adults in their communities. The
food boxes, which contain hot dogs, sausages and sausage patties or
chicken, are no cost to the resident so it is a form of "food pantry"
items provided to Massachusetts by the USDA.

The initial delivery took place last week at the Stoneham Council on
Aging where 100 boxes were dropped off. Council on Aging Director
Maureen Canova and her staff will be delivering these boxes to those
older adults in need in the Stoneham community.

“The Stoneham Council on Aging is so appreciative of Mystic Valley
Elder Services and the Executive Office of Elder Affairs for offering
this program to residents in our community,” says Stoneham’s Council on
Aging Director Maureen Canova. “This pandemic has truly exposed the
need for support for many older adults who may be experiencing food
insecurity whether chronically or during this unprecedented time. We
are so grateful for the positive impact this has made in our community.”

In total, the program—which runs through the end of 2020—will provide
more than 36,000 boxes of food to older adults in Massachusetts,
benefiting more than 20,000 seniors.