Tackling food insecurity by making fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables more affordable has been the name of the game for Field & Food Network’s Double Up Food Bucks program.
Now, state officials are commending the network, while also trying to spread the word so that more people know about the program.
On Saturday, State Sen. Sean Ryan and Assemblyman Johnathan Rivera presented the Field & Food Network with proclamations from their respective bodies recognizing Aug. 5 to Aug. 12 as Double Up Food Bucks Awareness Week.
This year, Awareness Week will promote the dollar-for-dollar matching program that is available to grocery shoppers statewide with SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps. The initiative provides recipients with up to $20 per day for groceries that can be matched by the program to buy locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables.
“As a health plan, we recognize that healthy food and healthy eating is important, but we also know that it’s not easy for everybody,” said Michael Ball, vice president of community affairs at Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, a primary sponsor of the program. “Farmers markets that we support throughout the region help to connect people with access to healthy food and goods right where they live.”
The benefits go beyond just helping low-income families eat healthier. Since the program started in 2014, it has contributed $2.6 million directly to the state’s farmers from food sales.
Shoppers have been able to have a more varied diet and buy more expensive produce as a result of the program.
“It can really be a lifeline,” said Jennifer White, marketing and communications manager at the Lexington Co-op market. “Really, this year some people have lost some portions of their SNAP benefits, and this program has allowed them to gain a little bit more access to healthy foods.”
White says the Lexington Co-op was one of the first local grocery stores to participate in…
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