Close-up of a senior cooking food

Senior Boxes

Senior Hunger is Real

Many individuals in South Dakota who are age 60 and older and living on a limited income are making difficult decisions between housing, medication, or healthy food. There are very significant impacts to mental and physical health and well-being when you lack access to enough nutritious food for an active, healthy life.

Feeding South Dakota is proud to partner with the South Dakota Department of Education to administer the USDA's Commodity Supplemental Nutrition Program (CSFP), most commonly known as the Senior Box Program, in all 66 counties. Eligible seniors receive a pre-packaged box of non-perishable food items each month that is specifically designed to supplement nutrients typically lacking in their diets.

This program allows participants to direct their financial resources toward urgent expenses like medicine and utilities while having access to nutritional food.

Man holding up a box of food and smiling

To be eligible for the program, individuals must be 60 years of age or older and must have household income at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty income Guidelines (poverty guidelines) published annually by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

  1. mail:
    U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
  2. fax:
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email:
    program.intake@usda.gov

Use our Find Food Guide to find the Feeding South Dakota agency partner nearest to you that is distributing Senior Boxes. Simply enter your zip code, select the maximum number of miles you’re able to travel to pick up your box, and change the category to "Senior Box."

For additional help, contact us by email or call (605) 335-0364.

Use our Find Food Guide to locate a Feeding South Dakota Mobile Food Distribution or Agency Partner near you.

The HelpLine Center may be able to provide additional resources. Visit their website or call 2-1-1 for more information.