Grocery Delivery Program For Seniors Expands

WEST VILLAGE, NY — A Manhattan program that delivers fresh, low-cost produce to seniors is expanding, Manhattan borough president Gale Brewer announced on Wednesday.

The initiative works to make healthy foods more accessible to seniors, some of whom are largely home-bound or have trouble accessing fresh produce. The program's popularity means that it'll now be getting its own dedicated van and a part-time driver, so that the initiative can reach more seniors.

Brewer started the Fresh Food for Seniors Program as a council member on the Upper West Side in 2013. Since then, she's coordinated with other council members, including Corey Johnson and Helen Rosenthal, to reach seniors in Hell's Kitchen, the West Village, Roosevelt Island, Harlem, Inwood and Washington Heights. The simple initiative gives participating seniors a bag of seasonal produce for just $8.

"This program has taken off, it’s popular, and it’s growing – but we needed a little help to make sure it’s sustainable and can expand even further," Brewer said in a statement on Wednesday. "I thank the de Blasio Administration for making this investment in Manhattan seniors.”"

Seniors have purchased more than 4,000 bags of produce so far this year, according to Brewer's office. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Image credit: Tim Boyle / Staff / Getty Images News