Your SNAP X 5
June 14 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
SFC Farmers’ Markets Multiply SNAP Benefits to Feed Families and Pay Farmers
SFC Farmers’ Market shoppers can stretch their SNAP benefits further at Your SNAP X 5 on Saturday, June 14. In addition to a wide range of local food vendors, both SFC Farmers’ Market locations will host live music and children’s activities.
At both SFC Farmers’ Market locations, SNAP shoppers can receive five times the value of their benefits up to $150 to buy more local fruits and vegetables. SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is a federal program that supports consistent access to nutritious food for low-income households.
By multiplying SNAP benefits at the farmers’ market, Your SNAP X 5 both increases affordable access to local food and increases sales for small-scale farmers. Without in-school meals, summer can be a challenging season for food security.
“As the school year ends, Your SNAP x 5 provides an opportunity for families to purchase more fruits and vegetables at the events on June 14 and throughout the summer season,” said Brita Van Fossen, SFC Food Access Manager.
SNAP is multiplied through Sustainable Food Center’s (SFC) Double Up Food Bucks Texas program. Double Up Food Bucks never expire and can be spent at any participating location.
Market vendors selling fresh produce, meat, and dairy products reported a 308% increase at the previous Your SNAP x 5 event. This increase deomonstrates the power of SNAP incentives to strengthen local economies and reduce food insecurity.
On June 14, seasonal favorites like peaches, berries, and tomatoes will be available. “Farmers will bring the best offerings of the year,” said SFC’s Central Texas Farm Viability Director Amy Gallo. “By ensuring that everyone can access this bumper crop, we’re supporting small farmers’ earnings before extreme heat and drought in late summer lead to a drop off in production and income.”
How to Multiply your SNAP X 5
It’s free and easy for SNAP shoppers to multiply benefits. Shoppers can visit the market information booth with their SNAP EBT / Lonestar Card and choose how much SNAP to multiply. No additional registration or paperwork necessary. SNAP shoppers can spend their baseline monthly benefits on local produce and a variety of market products, including:
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Bread
- Meat
- Plants that produce food
After a shopper’s baseline SNAP is multiplied by five, the bonus benefits can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables with local vendors. Double Up Texas and Your SNAP x 5 increase the consumption of fresh, nutrient-dense produce.
While Your SNAP X 5 is one day only, the Double Up Food Bucks Texas program runs at SFC Farmers’ Markets and 80 market and grocery store locations across Texas. Double Up Texas and Your SNAP X 5 is made possible thanks to funding from USDA NIFA.