Hocking Athens Perry Community Action Regional Food Center has immediate openings in its Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) in the 10-county region it serves in southeastern Ohio.

According to Dick Stevens, HAPCAP food and nutrition division director, CSFP is a federally- funded USDA food and nutrition program for nutritionally at-risk, income-eligible participants 60 and older administrated by Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Stevens also pointed out that it is important to note that the program guidelines are per person in the household, not a total dollar amount for the household.

A husband and wife qualify for the program based on their own individual income, not their spouses. Both the husband and wife could qualify separately, and even if one spouse is over the income limit, the other spouse could be eligible.

Each month, seniors 60 and older in a 10-county region receive a food box of USDA products. The monthly food box includes canned fruits, vegetables, juices, meats, dairy and cereal.

To qualify for the program, participants must be:

• A resident of Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, Vinton or Washington counties/

• Sixty years or older.

• Meet federal income eligibility guidelines.

Eligibility is based on 130 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. All income eligible households 60 and older must be able to provide proof of age and residence. The income guidelines in annual, monthly and weekly installments follow:

One-person household: $14,079 income per year $1,174 income per month, or $271 income per week;

Two-person household: $18,941 per year, $1,579 per month, or $365 per week;

Three-person household: $23,803 per year, $1,984 per month, or $458 per week;

Four-person household: $28,665 per year, $2,389 per month, or $552 per week;

For each additional family member over four add the following: $4,862 per year, $405 per month, or $94 per week.

Applications are available by calling Courtney Frasure at 800-385-6813, ext. 2236.

They also are available online at www.hapcap.org by clicking on immediate CSFP openings available for seniors, and downloading the application at the bottom of the article.