The Mentor Senior Center is teaming up with the Greater Cleveland Foodbank to offer free produce to Lake County seniors.

Beginning July 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the center will welcome seniors to its first Senior Market.

Food is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants must bring ID and bags for their items. Being a member of the Mentor Senior Center is not required as all Lake County seniors are invited to participate.

The Senior Market serves to provide fresh, nutritious produce and other items to limited-income seniors. The Foodbank does not verify income information, but seniors must certify annual gross income at or below the income guidelines of the program — $24,119 for a household of one and $32,479 for a household of two.  Income is self-reported.

“We are very excited to partner with the Greater Cleveland Foodbank and offer this program to seniors,” said Renee Ochaya, director of the Mentor Senior Center.

“Fresh produce can be a tremendous blessing for seniors in need, and utilizing the market will be pretty awesome. And a lot of items at pantries aren’t fresh, but nonperishable, boxed or canned.”

After visiting Euclid Senior Center and seeing an existing market, Ochaya said the process to establish one at Mentor Senior Center was streamlined fairly quickly.

“It’s also another avenue for easy access to fresh food for seniors who may live closer to our center. This provides an additional opportunity so seniors don’t have to drive all around the county to another pantry or market.”

The Mentor Senior Center will offer the Senior Market the third Monday of each month through October.

Volunteers are needed to help with unloading and organizing produce, in addition to assisting with distribution and data entry.

Volunteer training to describe duties and food safety regulations will be held on July 9 at Mentor Senior Center, located at 8484 Munson Road, from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration is available at the center.