food-access-photo_675px.jpg

The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program Returns to our SFC Farmers’ Markets

Have you ever shopped at SFC Farmers’ Markets and noticed the Double Dollars booth? Ever wondered why there was no produce being sold at the booth? At Sustainable Food Center, our mission is to ensure that all members of our community have access to locally sourced food-- our farmers’ markets are no exception. In fact, they provide the grounds where we can put our mission into action.

At the Double Dollars booth, we exchange nutrition assistance program benefits such as SNAP (previously known as food stamps) and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) into market dollars. We double the purchase of those sales with our Double Dollars Program. This allows for all members of our community to fully participate in our local food system!

This month, we’re kicking off the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP). This program benefits WIC families. WIC is a federal program that provides supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk. WIC families that frequent our markets get $8- $21 a month in benefits. SFC is the only market association that currently accepts WIC in Central Texas. We double WIC benefits so that they can purchase locally sourced, responsibly grown produce for their families.

During FMNP season, we give each WIC client a booklet of $30 coupons that can be used just like cash with any farmer. We also give them $20 Double Dollars to purchase even more produce for their families. This is especially exciting for our young shoppers during strawberry and peach season!

Last year, FMNP brought in $65,000 in sales for our farmers. We served almost 1,400 FMNP customers. These are the kinds of programs that SFC is proud to offer our community.

Please help us in welcoming these new and returning shoppers to our markets!