Sadly, many seniors cannot afford their prescriptions, so they tend to skip eating instead. 
This should not be happening in our country. 
Those seniors who are living alone, sick, disabled or mentally handicapped, suffer the most from malnutrition, along with our very young children, whose brains are still developing. Those brains need nutritional food. There are good places and services in Pittsburgh that can help end hunger in our communities. Communities can only thrive if their residents can thrive.

Young or senior, we all deserve food security during hard times or old age. 
We must also eliminate the food deserts - some communities don't have easy or reliable access to fresh fruits, vegetables and healthy foods, or enough fresh markets to serve them. They would need to travel, and many seniors don't leave their neighborhoods regularly. That's Just Wrong. 
Seniors need a healthy diet, a variety and choices, and deserve better access to that. 
Community gardens and farm stands are just one excellent and affordable solution for seniors, but that only works seasonally, and doesn't include all of the proteins and nutrients needed to remain healthy. 

Food pantries are a blessing for those struggling financially, or seniors going hungry, and are listed below, but they cannot provide all that's needed daily. We need to provide access to affordable fresh produce and healthy drinks in every neighborhood. We need more community gardens and fresh markets in areas that are under-served. Not only to provide basics for avoiding illness and sustaining life. Which, of course, is also absolutely crucial.

If I ruled the world...and many folks are justifiably glad that I don't..... 
I'd raise the old concept of weekly bookmobiles, but instead of books, I'd stuff volunteers' trucks full of fresh donated or discarded supermarket butcher dept. food ingredients, and set them off to cruise the at-risk communities. I'd also somehow see to it that restaurants that are throwing away tons of food yearly have a place to bring the discarded, but fresh, healthy and tasty food and ingredients end-of-day - before spoilage. I'm not talking about scraps of someone's meal or food that is "fancied up". Even parts of fruits, or parts of veggies that they lop off for aesthetic reasons - that helps to make a good and healthy dessert, soup or stew that goes a long way and feeds many. Load them onto vans and small trucks once a week, same-day, and get them into the neighborhoods for people who would want them to cook their meals. It would be even easier to hold a market on-site in their parking lots on a certain day and time to distribute this food to seniors or families at no great cost to them.

Naturally, i didn't think all of this through, concerning legalities and politics - but there are better thinkers and doers than I who can do that for me. It's a shame and a sin that I pay up to $5.00/lb for soup bones and discarded meat scraps from a supermarket, when that market can provide many good community cooks with fresh ingredients for good meals for their families, where they are needed, for free. Instead of reselling the discarded parts of meat and poultry, you can provide ingredients for several family meals. You lose nothing, and the community gains.

If you or any older adult need meal or other types of support, 
please call your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA). They are senior advocates who work for YOU.

Meals at Senior Community Centers

• Meals are available at Senior Community Centers in your neighborhood.
• Nutritious meals are available to individuals age 60 and older and their spouses.
• Meals are usually served once a day around noon. 
• Meals meet the needs of people who watch their diet because of heart disease or diabetes.
• Meals are provided free of charge, but you may choose to give a donation.
• Call the center in your area to make a reservation, or stop in to see what the center has to offer.

In-Home Meals

• Meals can be delivered to an eligible individual's home.
• The individual or a family member is interviewed to determine eligibility.

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
Works to improve the health of low-income elderly persons at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA Foods

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• Eligible seniors can use these benefits to buy food at local grocery stores and supermarkets.
• Seniors participating in the SNAP program are also eligible for monthly food boxes. 
• Contact the SNAP helpline at 1-800-692-7462 to get started.

Pennsylvania Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program

• This program provides low-income older adults with checks to buy fresh fruits and vegetables grown in Pennsylvania.
• The age requirement is 60 years or older, and the senior must meet income eligibility guidelines.
• Each eligible senior receives four $6.00 checks for a total benefit of $24.00 one-time during the program year. 
• Checks are distributed annually between June 1 and September 30. The last day for redemption is November 30.

• For more information or to locate participating markets, please visit the PA Department of Agriculture.

How the Program Works for Recipients

Recipients are given a list of participating farmers and farmers' markets when they receive their checks.  
These checks are redeemed for fresh fruits and vegetables grown in Pennsylvania.  
Each eligible recipient receives 4 - $6.00 SFMNP checks to redeem at a qualified farmers' markets or roadside stands.

View, download, or print a .pdf format list of all of the farmers markets 
and farm stamds participating in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County

Pa. Dept. of Agriculture

Community Food Pantries and Meal Services For All In Need
Pittsburgh is blessed with several community food pantries and meal services
Whether you're a senior or have come upon hard times, it doesn't matter. They are there to help.

If you're looking for somewhere to volunteer your time, this list can be a suggestion and guide

Your local food bank or food pantry may host a drive-thru pantry. Visit a food pantry, but
all ahead before you go, to find out whether there are covid restrictions in effect at their facilities.

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
St.Winifred Food Pantry Saint Winifred's Food Pantry offers visitors a shopping list of available items, rather than a pre boxed selection. Home deliveries are available to shut-ins on Saturdays.   (412) 343-1915.		Henry Kaufmann Center The Brashear Food Pantry A variety of food staples, including canned goods and shelf-stable items, dairy products, meats, and fresh produce when available, as well as pet food and other basic commodities. Hours: Between 12:00 PM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday and Thursday. By appointment Only.
		The Squirrel Hill Food Pantry Feeding families in our community with  nutritious, healthy, life-sustaining food.
Oakland Community Human Services  Community Pantry The food pantry focuses on low-sodium, low-sugar foods.  Offering a unique ‘shop around’ experience, where customers  can select for themselves what they want to take home.
Community breakfasts, Food bank  Call 412-321-2240		We Share Food
Zion Lutheran Church Penn Hills Food Pantry Drive Thru		Greenstone Methodist Church Pittsburgh Phone: (412) 487-6316
Millvale Food Pantry 416 Lincoln Ave Pittsburgh (412) 821-2777		Hazelwood Y Food Pantry 134 E Elizabeth Street Pittsburgh First Saturday of each month in the Spartan Community Center from 10am– 12pm.
Food Pantry Tuesdays 5-7PM Wednesday's 2-6PM		Riverview United Presbyterian  Church Food Pantry 3505 Perrysville Ave. (412) 321-7300 Serving Residents of Perry North (Observatory Hill),  Perry South, and Northview Heights. Food Pantry Distribution Day - Tuesdays 3pm to 4:15pm
Bethel AME Church Food Pantry 2720 Webster Avenue Pittsburgh (412) 683-2160 Food Pantry distribution hours: Sunday: 9:30 am to 3:00 pm		Northside Common Ministries Pittsburgh (412) 323-1163 The Community Food Pantry is the largest in Pittsburgh - Pennsylvania, distributing on average 300,000 meals yearly to qualified low-income individuals and families.
FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTION 131 E Elizabeth St., Pittsburgh Free groceries offered to community members on the first Saturday of every month.  Please call  412-421-5648 to sign up in advance.  Sponsored by the YMCA.		The Unity Food Pantry 1146 Greentree Road, Pittsburgh 412-561-2431 Located in the basement of Unity Presbyterian Church. Clients must live in Unity’s service area of Greentree, Dormont, and those parts of Pittsburgh, Scott, Mt Lebanon, Crafton Heights, and Westwood for which we are the closest pantry.
Saint Paul Cathedral Food Pantry  - Food Distribution Center 108 N Dithridge St, Pittsburgh (412) 621-2134		Bethlehem Haven - Food Distribution Center 905 Watson St, Pittsburgh
South Hills Interfaith Ministries - Food Distribution Center 5301 Park Ave, Bethel Park, Pittsburgh (412) 881- 4448		Stewart Ave Lutheran Church 2810 Brownsville Rd, Pittsburgh (412) 881-0171

Providing Meals

Hospitals, care facilities and other senior health services --->