STAMFORD — Jewish Family Service of Stamford (JFS) has received a $30,000 grant from MAZON-A Jewish Response to Hunger that will enable the agency to participate in the senior hunger initiative, Solutions to Senior Hunger.

In partnership with the Association of Jewish Family & Children’s Agencies, the initiative is designed to help low-income seniors qualify for state and federal assistance for food purchases. Funded by the Walmart Foundation, Solutions to Senior Hunger aims to reduce the barriers keeping vulnerable seniors from enrolling in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also known as SNAP/food stamps).

According to MAZON, three out of five seniors – that is, 5.2 million seniors — who are eligible to do so, do not participate in SNAP, a state- and federally-supported program available to people 60 years and older with limited income and assets. Residents who receive Section 8 subsidized housing allowance may also qualify for SNAP.

Jewish Family Service of Stamford, which serves Greater Stamford, Greater Westport and Eastern Fairfield County, was selected to conduct SNAP outreach and education to senior populations, administer SNAP application assistance for eligible clients, and act as a liaison between the client and their local managing government agency.

“Through our outreach and education in the community, we often discover seniors who are unable to acquire enough nutritious food for themselves,” says Matt Greenberg, CEO of JFS. “This program will help assist those who are eligible to take advantage of programs such as SNAP that they were previously unaware were available to them.”

For more information call (203) 921-4161 or email rkanefsky@ctjfs.org.