Feeding seniors all in a day’s work for Food Pantry

A program of the Upper Susitna Food Pantry is helping to keep Talkeetna-area seniors fed and engaged.

The Reducing Isolation in Senior Populations Project, known as “RIPPLES”, is designed to address hunger and loneliness among older adults. A collaboration between the Food Pantry, local senior center, and Sunshine Transit, the program provides low-income older adults who have limited access to transportation with an opportunity to eat a hot meal and socialize with their friends each week at the senior center.

LouAnne Carroll-Tysdal, the Food Pantry’s executive director, said the RIPPLES program was added to fill a void in the community. It is part of the 850 or so people served each month by the nonprofit organization.

“At Upper Susitna Food Pantry, we are committed to our mission to feed the hungry,” she said. “Our program effectively delivers essential food assistance to seniors, breaking down barriers and combating social isolation. We take action to ensure that those in need receive the support they deserve.”

That mission got a big boost last month when the Food Pantry was awarded a $138,027 grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation to support the RIPPLES program. This followed an earlier $66,355 grant for the program in June 2024. The June grant was part of $168,000 in grants awarded to the Food Pantry in 2024.

“The program is primarily funded by the Health Foundation,” Carroll-Tysdal said. “It is fair to say that RIPPLES would not be where it is today without their continuing support.”

The nonprofit Mat-Su Health Foundation has been investing in community health and wellness since 2008, when it became part owner of the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. In the 17 years since, the Health Foundation has channeled more than $138 million of its profits back into the community through nonprofit organizations across the borough.

The Upper Susitna Food Pantry is recognized by the Food Bank of Alaska as the sole provider of supplemental food in the region. The organization’s efforts help to alleviate food insufficiency in a 1,200-square-mile area that includes Sunshine, Talkeetna, Chase, Trapper Creek, Willow, and Caswell Lakes. Benefitting from approximately 6,500 volunteer-hours each year, the Food Pantry is able to distribute 250,000 pounds of food over the course of 12 months.

The free transportation component of the RIPPLES program also offers participants access to rides to the grocery store and bank once a week. And it provides twice-a-month grocery delivery services with tailored nutrition boxes designed to meet individual participant’s dietary needs.

To remain engaged with the senior population beyond this, program staff also conduct bi-weekly check-ins to ensure older adults have contact between deliveries.

“It is important to let them know that someone in the community is concerned with their well-being,” Carroll-Tysdal said. “It helps to reduce isolation, especially during the winter months.”

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https://uppersusitnafoodpantry.org/