AARP and the Hunger Task Force are trying to find older people like Ruth Howell, of Butler, who need food assistance. Howell, who is in her early 70s, didn’t think to ask for help. — Darren Hauck/Wonderful Machine

Ruth Howell has worked hard all her life. But when she was laid off from her office job in 2008, her Social Security check didn't cover expenses, especially after her unemployment ran out. After taxes, insurance and the mortgage payment on her house in Butler, she was eating two meals a day — sometimes one.

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For a long time, it didn't occur to her that she could get help. "A person does have pride," said Howell, who is in her early 70s. "And I didn't know where to go."

But a TV news report on the Hunger Task Force's Stockbox program for southeastern Wisconsin was her first step toward getting help. She signed up for the monthly delivery of nonperishable food. An official with Hunger Task Force, Wisconsin's leading anti-hunger organization, told her she was also eligible for home heating assistance and for the FoodShare Wisconsin program.

FoodShare is Wisconsin's term for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.

But only about one in eight older Wisconsinites who are eligible for food assistance actually receives it — a situation the state's food banks and AARP want to change.

"Hunger is very much an issue for our members," said Jim Flaherty, communications director for AARP Wisconsin. AARP Wisconsin has worked with the Hunger Task Force to spread its message and help find people who need assistance.

Howell's food situation has stabilized, and she's always been a careful shopper and good cook. "I'm a firm believer in making things from scratch," she said. At Christmastime, she was able to buy flour and sugar to make cookies for her family.

Hunger problems tend to get worse with age, said Sherrie Tussler, executive director of the Hunger Task Force. Typically, older people will try every other option than government assistance — meals at senior centers, eating with friends. "If you're skipping meals, you're probably eligible" for FoodShare, she said. A few hundred dollars a month from FoodShare to pay for food can make the difference so people have enough money to pay their rent or mortgage.

The stamps or coupons of past years have been replaced by a debit card that users swipe at the grocery store. The entire FoodShare application process can be done online or over the phone at 1-800-362-3002. The screening process may also allow applicants to find out whether they are eligible for help with other needs such as medical expenses and home heating expenses.

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