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.Contents of the boxes follow state-approved meal plans consisting of grains, proteins, milk, cheese, fruits and vegetables.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs)

When students leave school for the weekend they should not have to worry about how they will get their next meal. The Weekend Brown Bag Program provides children who don’t have enough to eat with nutritious, easy to prepare foods at time when other resources are not available.

For many families living in rural communities in Alaska, rates of poverty and food insecurity are high. A substantial amount of families in our communities rely on school breakfast and lunch programs to stretch their food budget throughout the school year. When summer comes children who rely on these programs lose access to nutritional meals. Children in our communities are not located in one centralized area and travel long distances by bus to school each day and have no access to any form of daily public transportation which makes attending a traditional summer lunch program extremely difficult.

The Summer Backpack Program was designed to address this gap. This program works by combining a once a week Library Enrichment Activity, an SFSP lunch, free transportation and a take home bag filled with five days worth of breakfasts, lunches and snacks. This extremely successful collaboration has made a significant impact on childhood hunger throughout our communities. Because of Covid 19 social distancing requirements, this years SFSP and Backpack Programs will be distributed through pick up at library locations and delivery only. Our public library system will be sponsoring on-site enrichment activities with a focus on safe outdoor activities.

Ripples is a multifaceted program that offers services tailored to meet the needs of our aging population. Based in Talkeetna, AK the Upper Susitna Food Pantry organized R.I.P.P.L.E.S.:

Reducing Isolation in Senior Populations Project to address unmet needs of hunger and isolation among older adults within the community.

In Talkeetna, the senior center is unable to support meal programs for low-income older adults and many individuals have limited access to transportation. By providing free transportation and underwriting the cost of meals, the R.I.P.P.L.E.S. program provides low-income older adults with an opportunity to eat a hot meal and socialize with their friends each week at the local senior center.

The program also includes peer helpers who enjoy lunch and engage other older adults, so no one feels left out or unwelcome.

As part of the free transportation R.I.P.P.L.E.S. offers, participants can also access rides to the grocery store and bank once a week before they return home.

After noticing some participants saving portions of their meals for their spouses who were unable to attend, staff began providing additional boxed meals to take home for spouses of participants. The program also offers twice a month grocery delivery services with tailored nutrition boxes to meet participants dietary needs.

Delivery drivers are encouraged to stay and talk with the older adults, which helps to reduce isolation, especially during the winter months.

To remain engaged with the older adults beyond this, program staff conduct bi-weekly check-ins to ensure older adults have contact between deliveries and know someone is concerned for their well-being within the community.

Started in the summer of 2019 this project not only grows produce for hungry families in our community but also helps start young children on the path of gardening for themselves!

A wonderful collaboration with Church on the Rock provided us with the space, and with a lot of sweat equity and hard work from community volunteers, we planted a community garden dedicated to growing fresh produce to help feed hungry families in our communities. In the first year of this project, we built and planted nine raised beds.

In 2020 through generous grants from the Evenor Trust, Jessica Stevens Community Foundation and Alaska Community Foundation we added twelve more raised beds as well as installing two 8x 20 greenhouses. In 2021 we will be fencing the entire project.

Distributed on a once monthly basis this program provides supplemental breakfast and lunch foods to families with children 1-5 years old and children enrolled in homeschool programs during the winter months.

Opened in April 2019 this project is a collaboration between Su Valley Staff, students and the Upper Susitna Food Pantry. Students can access the food pantry during lunch hour and choose foods their household needs to stretch their food supply. USFP stocks shelf-stable foods, fruits, and vegetables to help students receive necessary food in a confidential manner.