May 5, 2025 -- Lackawanna County’s Area Agency on Aging and Department of Community Relations will distribute vouchers with which income-eligible county residents 60 or older may purchase fresh foods at farmers’ markets.

Anyone 60 or older, by Dec. 31 of this year, may obtain vouchers if their annual household income is at or below the following levels: one person, $28,953; two people, $39,128; three people, $49,303; four people, $59,478; five people, $69,365; six people, $79,828.

Each eligible person will receive five $5 checks for a total benefit of $25. That is half of last year’s $50 benefit. It was reduced because it no longer is supplemented by pandemic relief funds.

Anyone seeking vouchers must appear in person and bring valid identification. If an eligible senior cannot attend, a proxy may do so. Proxy forms are available at LackawannaAging.org. The county Area Agency on Aging, Lackawanna County Government Center, 123 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, 570-963-6740, also will mail them upon request. A proxy may pick up vouchers for up to four people.

The distribution schedule:

June 17 -- Merli-Sarnoski Park, 9 a.m. to noon.
June 18 -- Throop Senior Community Center, 500 Sanderson St., Throop, 9 a.m. to noon; and Mid Valley Senior Community Center, 310 Church St., Jessup, 9 a.m. to noon.
June 23 -- North Pocono Senior Community Center, 6 John J. Michaels Dr., Covington Twp., 9 a.m. to noon; and Taylor Senior Community Center, 700 S. Main St., Taylor, 9 a.m. to noon.
June 25-- Hillside Senior Community Center, 1151 Winola Road, Clarks Summit, 9 a.m. to noon.
June 26 -- Scranton Senior Community Center, 1004 Jackson St., Scranton, 9 a.m. to noon; and Fallbrook Senior Community Center, 185 Fallbrook St., Carbondale, 9 a.m. to noon.
June 30 – Dunmore Senior Community Center, 1414 Monroe Ave., Dunmore, 9 a.m. to noon; and Scranton Jewish Community Center, 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, 9 a.m. to noon.
July 19 – South Scranton Farmers Market, 526 Cedar Ave., Scranton, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
July 23 – Scranton Co-Op Farmers Market, 900 Barring St., Scranton, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.