Spend Food Stamps at Farmers Markets and Receive an Extra $6

If you buy at least $6 worth of produce or food-producing plants at a farmers market in Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties, you will get an extra $6 to spend at the market.

The organizers, Ten Rivers Food Web call the program SNAP Incentive” they are introducing it at the Corvallis, Albany, Brownsville, Sweet Home and Newport farmers markets. SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Customers can spend their SNAP benefits at farmers markets by swiping their cards at market credit card machines to receive wooden market tokens to spend at any vendor selling fresh food or food-producing plants.

When a customer swipes and deducts at least $6 from their SNAP card at the market, they will receive an extra $6 in “That’s My Farmer SNAP Incentive” tokens.

Free Dental Clinic in Albany

Announcing a Free Dental Clinic for Children ages 5-18 at the Boys & Girls Club of Albany. The Boys & Girls Club is located at 1215 Hill St SE, Albany OR 97322. 541-926-6666, Contact Danielle Monday through Friday 9:30-5.

Danielle Smith, Health Service Coordinator, Boys & Girls Club of Albany
541-223-3925 or Email:Danielle@bgc-albany.org

Helping People Over 65 Preserve Sight

The Seniors EyeCare Program ensures that every senior has access to medical eye care and promotes annual, dilated eye exams. It raises awareness about age-related eye disease, including cataracts, provides free eye care educational materials and facilitates access to eye care—at no out-of-pocket cost.

By age 65, one in three Americans has some form of vision impairing eye disease. Most do not know it because there are often no warning symptoms or they assume that poor sight is a natural part of growing older. By detecting and treating eye disease early through annual, dilated eye exams, seniors can preserve their sight.

Qualifications: The Seniors EyeCare Program is designed for people who:
• Are US citizens or legal residents
• Are age 65 and older
• Have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years
• Do not belong to an HMO or the VA
To determine if you, a family member or friend qualify for a referral through this program, call 800-222-EYES (3937) toll-free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Benefits: People eligible for a referral through the program receive a comprehensive, medical eye exam and up to one year of care— at no out-of-pocket cost —for any disease diagnosed during the initial exam.
Volunteer ophthalmologists accept Medicare and/or other insurance reimbursement as payment in full; patients without insurance receive care at no charge.

Hotline For Flu Questions

News release issued by Oregon Department of Human Services.

Oregon public health offers nurse advice hotline for flu questions
These days, a simple fever raises questions: Do I have the H1N1 flu and if I do, should I go to the doctor?

Before you rush to the clinic or hospital, there’s a simple call you can make. Oregon Public Health Flu Hotline (1-800-978-3040) now has nurses to talk to about symptoms, prevention advice, concerns about flu exposure, taking care of others and when to see a doctor.
“Most people recover from the flu on their own with rest and fluids. But sometimes it’s helpful to talk to a medical professional to decide if you need to go to the doctor,” says Paul Cieslak, M.D., medical director for the Oregon public health immunization program.

The Oregon Public Health Flu Hotline is one-stop shopping for all your flu concerns. Operators can tell callers about vaccine availability and answer many basic flu questions. The new feature connects callers with a nurse who can provide medical advice about both seasonal and H1N1 flu. These services are available throughout the state, in nearly any language, and the call is free. It could save you a trip to the doctor or emergency room, and ease crowding so that health care providers can help the people who need it more quickly.

The Oregon Public Health Flu Hotline is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.; weekends and holidays 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. For additional information, visit www.flu.oregon.gov.