FERRIDAY &045;&045; Nearly 700 parish senior citizens received $70 worth of food and about 50 received information about free prescription drugs Thursday morning.

The Council on Aging’s monthly food distribution was the perfect platform to inform area seniors about the state’s free drug program, Cenla Area Agency on Aging Executive Director Kristin Duke said.

The state-run program does the paperwork for middle-class seniors and sends the information to the drug company. Seniors who have an annual income below $27,930 who live alone, or below $37,470 if they live with another person, are eligible for the free medications. Those with insurance that funds their medications are not eligible.

Duke said drug companies offer free drugs to seniors, but a pile of paperwork must be completed first. Since many seniors are not familiar with computers, many simply don’t apply, she said.

The Louisiana SenioRx program travels the state signing up seniors and also takes phone call applications.

&uot;The more people we can sign up the better,&uot; Duke said. &uot;Because everybody should be getting the free drugs the companies promise.&uot;

Those who signed up Thursday should receive their first prescriptions within two months. Depending on the drug company, the medicines are mailed either to the patient or to the doctor.

The program is in its second year in Louisiana and was expanded statewide this year.

Seniors who did not sign up Thursday who are interested in the program can contact the Council on Aging for more information.

Seniors not signing up for the drug program Thursday each received a box of food from the Catholic Diocese of New Orleans and the Council on Aging’s monthly food giveaway.

About 680 food boxes were given away in Ferriday, Vidalia, Monterey and Clayton. Seniors receiving the food had previously signed up and last month’s giveaway. To sign up for next month, those over 60 can call 1-800-522-FEED.

The food box contained can goods, juices, pastas and cheese among other things. The food comes from the USDA.

The New Orleans Diocese sponsors the program in all but eight Louisiana parishes.

&uot;It helps me out a great deal,&uot; Ethel Wickliffe said while waiting for her food. &uot;Whatever I get, I don’t have to buy.&uot;

The food giveaways are every fourth Thursday at the Ferriday Community Center.