Kelly, Husted Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Expand Food Deliveries for Rural Seniors

Legislation supports local food banks delivering nutrition assistance to rural seniors

Today, Senators and Senate Aging Committee members Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Jon Husted (R-OH) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Delivering for Rural Seniors Act, legislation that would help food banks and other local partners deliver U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition assistance directly to low-income rural seniors at home, recognizing that distance, transportation, or mobility barriers can make in-person pickup difficult.

The bill would establish a grant pilot program to help deliver Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) food boxes directly to low-income seniors at home, prioritizing seniors in rural communities. Also known as the senior food box, CSFP is a USDA program that supports adults age 60 and older with limited incomes by supplementing their diets with nutritious foods, administered by states through local organizations like food banks.

In Arizona, organizations like St. Mary's Food Bank have shown how home delivery can reach seniors who can't get to a pickup site. From October through December 2025, approximately 40% of St. Mary's completed deliveries were CSFP food boxes, demonstrating how delivery programs can significantly expand access to senior nutrition assistance.

"Too many seniors, especially in rural communities in Arizona and across the country, are eligible for nutrition assistance but can't reliably get to a pickup site. This bill will help close that gap," said Kelly. "By supporting local partners who are willing and able to deliver food directly to seniors' doors, we can help older Americans stay healthy and independent in their own homes, especially as costs continue to rise. Geography shouldn't be the difference between getting help and going without."

"Ohio has about 30,000 seniors who are eligible for food assistance through CSFP, and many of them do not have access to transportation. Especially in Appalachia, where driving distances are commonly further than others, this is a good step to ensure rural seniors don't go hungry," said Husted.

Companion legislation was introduced in February in the House of Representatives by Representatives Zach Nunn (R-IA-03) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30).

See what leaders are saying in support of the legislation:

"The Delivering for Rural Seniors Act bridges a key gap in getting older Americans connected to food that is already available for them. Food banks and agencies across the state need the support this bill would offer to ensure a senior who is home bound or otherwise lacks transportation and support gets access to a CSFP food box. AzFBN partners with food banks across the state, and hears the same message repeated from both food banks and they clients they serve - if a food box can't be delivered, that person won't receive support. This Act will help food banks help more seniors. If passed, the impact will be dramatic and immediate for seniors in rural Arizona," said April Bradham, President and CEO, Arizona Food Bank Network.

"At Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, nothing is more important to us than reaching our neighbors in need of food with support. Home delivery services reach our most vulnerable, homebound neighbors. As economic pressures build, our rural neighbors with fixed incomes, high-risk health conditions, and limited access to reliable transportation are disproportionately impacted. Home delivery is an avenue by which we can improve service in hard to reach communities. The Delivering for Rural Seniors Act will help expand our work in delivering CSFP boxes and, in turn, reach more seniors with vital food supplies," said Natalie Jayroe, CEO, Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona

"No one should face hunger in their golden years. Yet, every state is home to seniors who experience food insecurity. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program is critical to helping seniors with low incomes access the food they need to maintain good health. But the program doesn't reach all eligible individuals, due to insufficient funding and a shortage of delivery options. The bipartisan Delivering for Rural Seniors Act introduced by Sens. Kelly and Husted would help more seniors keep food on the table, especially in rural areas, by expanding access to delivery services. We urge Congress to help seniors facing hunger by including this important legislation in the farm bill," said Ami McReynolds, interim Chief Government Relations Officer at Feeding America.

"NCSFPA supports the Delivering for Rural Seniors Act and other efforts to improve and expand the delivery of food packages to eligible individuals. For many seniors-especially in rural and underserved areas-delivery is the only viable way to access nutrition assistance. Strengthening these delivery options is critical to ensuring that vulnerable seniors are not left behind and can reliably receive the food support they need," said the National Commodity Supplemental Food Program Association.

Click here to read the full text of the bill.