When households are on a limited income, the grocery store can become a battleground. TRESA Carter, Market Match coordinator, said the program has been a huge benefit for Douglas County. If you are unsure if you are SNAP eligible, contact Harvesters, a non-profit organization that provides assistance to help people navigate the application process. Call or email Harvesters at call 877-653-9522 or email [email protected].
Often processed and frozen meals are a cheaper option than fresh produce or meats.
This leaves families weighing their options: should they buy affordable or healthier?
Market Match, a new program at the Allen County Farmers’ Market, will give another option, and help stretch SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) participants’ benefits so they can grow the healthy contents of their shopping bags.
The program kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Allen County Farmers’ Market on the west side of the square, and will continue throughout the summer.
Market Match is a dollar-for-dollar matching program that will match SNAP benefits — commonly known as food stamps — spent at the farmers markets.
The Topeka Community Foundation, the Kansas Health Foundation, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment sponsor the program, already is used in Douglas County and will launch in Pittsburg and Atchison later this month.
So how does it work?
A family or individual can redeem their SNAP funds at the EBT (electronic benefit transfer) device at the market’s info booth with their Vision Card. If a family wants to use $10 from their card they will get five $2 tokens from the ACFM and the 10 $1 tokens from the Market Match to purchase items from vendors. The program matches up to $25 per day.
Debbie Bearden, Allen County Farmers Market organizer, said in years past there were $500 worth of EBT swipes at the ACFM for their tokens. This year there has only been three and they’ve only been swiped in the last few weeks. Bearden hopes the Market Match will increase SNAP usage.
“Last year, the program matched almost $9,000 in SNAP funds,” Carter said, “thus benefiting our local food producers in addition to low-income families.”
As of May 29, the program in Douglas County has served over 70 SNAP users at two participating farmers markets in Lawrence. This has added up to a match of $2,162.
“Farmers, SNAP users and community stakeholders alike are thrilled about the presence of Market Match as it has only served as a benefit to our community as a whole,” Carter said.
Participants may only use the tokens for SNAP eligible items, such as fresh fruits, vegetables and meats. They are allowed to buy plants that produce vegetables or fruits.
“As a meat vendor I’m really excited for customers,” Bearden said. “A lot of times people will say they don’t have enough money to purchase meats at the market so hopefully this will increase their purchases and introduce protein into their diets.”
In 2014, an average of 301,377 persons received food assistance in Kansas. As for Allen County there were 2,034 people provided food assistance last year.
“We have a percentage of our population that depend on SNAP and I hope the farmers market is a way they use it,” Bearden said. “This will hopefully get them in the habit of eating fresh produce and give them healthier options.”
Making food dollars stretch
