Thanks to a federal grant, some older Lawrence residents received a delivery of fresh produce this week from the Ballard Community Center.

“There’s already a lot of canned goods and dry goods given out,” said Andy Brown, the Ballard center’s director of human service programs. “The Department of Aging identified that a lot of seniors were low as far as their diets were concerned on the types of vitamins you can find in fresh fruits and vegetables.”

Wednesday’s distribution was possible because of a $140,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant made to the Kansas Department on Aging. It was the first such grant for the agency. The Ballard center, 708 Elm St., and other local agencies helped with the program.

The vegetable giveaway is designed to help local producers, as well as provide food for older, low-income Kansas residents who otherwise might not be able to afford fresh produce, officials said.

About $100,000 in farmers market produce vouchers were distributed this summer to older residents in Douglas, Wyandotte, Shawnee and Sedgwick counties. The remainder of the grant money was used to finance this week’s fruit and vegetable handout.

Apples, potatoes, salad mix, greens, turnips, sweet potatoes and other items were provided by the Lawrence Farmers Market and the Rolling Prairie Farmers Alliance, a group of local organic farmers.

Recipients will evaluate the produce program in a survey, which will be used to improve next year’s distribution, officials said.

More information about the program is available at www.agingkansas.org or by contacting Andy Brown at 842-0729.