Assistance Programs

There are various programs offered through the Senior Center as well as the Commonwealth, Foodbank of Western Mass, Lifepath, and other agencies. Learn more below or call 413-423-3649 for more information or to sign up.

Brown Bag: Food for Elders

This is a food program offered by the Foodbank of Western Massachusetts which offers a bag of groceries to eligible seniors once per month. Participants must be at least 55 years old or have a documented disability for which the receive Social Security Disability Income. They must also meet income requirements as laid out in the table below. Households that participate in the following means tested programs also meet the income requirement for the Brown Bag: SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), AFDC, WIC, Welfare, Medicaid (MassHealth), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Head Start, Fuel Assistance or Veteran’s Aid.

SNAP: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

If you need help buying nutritious food, SNAP is available. Applications can be completed online, by mail, or by phone. Detailed information can be found here.

SHINE: Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone

The SHINE program offers trained and certified counselors to helo you understant Medicare and MassHealth benefits along with other insurance options. They also review eligibility for public assistance programs such as the new Medicare Savings Program, Prescription Advantage, and other programs to assist beneficiaries with limited resources to pay for health care costs. Becky is our SHINE counselor and can be reached at the Erving Senior Center Monday - Thursday 8:30 - 3:00 or by calling 413-423-3649