By Julie Siple, Minnesota Public Radio News

ORTONVILLE — Marie Gagnon has owned her home since 1966, and she still loves tending her garden.

At 93, she still manages to keep up with the house, but because she lives on $1,095 a month from Social Security, she sometimes has to watch her spending closely to afford nutritious food.

So when a friend suggested Gagnon might qualify for a box of free food from the federal government, she signed up.

The box from the Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors comes once a month, with canned fruit, cereal and a big block of cheese. It helps stretch her budget, especially in the winter when she doesn’t have a garden.

“There for a while, I couldn’t afford to buy lettuce, and I love lettuce, and it’s good for you — greens!” Gagnon said. “So now I can afford that.”

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