Helping Elderly Find Better Access To Food And Nutrition Is Focus Of Forum In Center City
By Paul Kurtz
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Advocates for the elderly tackled the issue of hunger at a forum in Center City Philadelphia on Wednesday.
GenPhilly organized the gathering to look for new ways to address an old problem.
"In Pennsylvania, some 300 thousand seniors face hunger every day," says AARP's Anglea Foreshaw-Rouse.
That includes Philadelphia, where 60% of older adults report eating two or less servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day, according to the Public Health Management Corporation.
Foreshaw-Rouse says seniors go hungry all kinds of reasons, including low income, lack of transportation, lack of information and poor health. They're often faced with tough choices.
"Between quality of food and affordable health care," she says. "Of course they'll choose health care but then their needs for food go unmet."
This forum gave participants a chance to brainstorm and learn about the latest cutting-edge innovations.
"I'm Ryan Cook. I run the West Philadelphia Fresh Food Hub which is a mobile farmers market and healthy corner store that goes to senior centers, block parties, different community events around West Philadelphia trying to bring more fresh food into neighborhoods that may find it challenging to get to a supermarket."
In addition, the Nutter Administration has distributed over 6,000 food resource guides to seniors throughout the city. The guides list organizations that offer a variety of services.
