WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — The Wichita Falls Area Food Bank is working to provide WIC participants and seniors with access to local fresh fruits and veggies.

Charisma Thrash: With the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank joins us now with more information on their effort to provide WIC participants and seniors with fresh fruits and vegetables. Good afternoon, Michelle. Why don’t you tell us more about that effort?

Michelle Oates: Thank you for having me. Well, there’s two different programs that are ran by the State, the TDA, and they’re to help promote our local farmers at the farmer’s market, as well as promoting our participants to eat healthy- healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables.

And so seniors that are 60, 60 years or older, that are within an income guidelines that is listed on our website, they can go and get vouchers. And this year they’re actually getting $50 instead of 20 that they can use this season. And then the WIC participants will just need to bring their shopping list to the food bank, and they’re able to get $30 per participant of WIC to get those to use at the local farmers markets.

Charisma Thrash: Why specifically is the area food bank focusing on WIC participants and our more mature residents?

Michelle Oates: We just want to make sure, you know, that our seniors that seem to not get as much as far as S.N.A.P. and everything, we- it’s just another program that can help them to better provide healthy food, which is very important for their health.

And so, that’s just one of the programs that we’re participating, as well as for the WIC and the children and teaching them at an early age on. Properly eating and eating healthy is always a plus.

Charisma Thrash: So of course, our viewers are going to want to get more information. Not only they can tell their selves and get information for themselves, rather, but maybe tell someone that they know. How can they get that information?

Michelle Oates: They could go to our website at wfafb.org, or they can even call the food bank at (940) 766-2322 and we can give them more information.

Charisma Thrash: Okay, great. Michelle, thank you so much for taking the time to speak to us about this effort. Thank you all. Make sure you get you head to their website to get that information, and Texoma, stay there. We’ll be back.