Starting Saturday, June 6, low-income families can stretch their food budget to buy fruits and vegetables while supporting Michigan farmers through the Double Up Food Bucks Program. Double Up Food Bucks is an innovative program of Fair Food Network, Michigan’s statewide healthy food incentive program. In a press release it was announced that this seasonal program provides customers who use their federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to shop at the market with a one-to-one match to purchase Michigan grown fruits and vegetables.
From June 1 through October 31, customers receive free Double Up Food Bucks silver tokens when they swipe their SNAP Bridge Card at the market’s central point-of-sale. Double Up Food Bucks matches every $1 of SNAP funds spent up to a maximum of $20 per market visit. The silver tokens are worth $2 each and can only be redeemed for Michigan-grown, unprocessed fruits and vegetables, or plants that produce food. Vendors may not provide change. Unlike the market’s SNAP currency, Double Up Food Bucks silver tokens are transferable from market to market and customers may redeem silver tokens at any of the participating locations in Michigan.
“Our vendors provide fresh, local and healthy food for all of our area residents,” said Nancy Voges, DDA Marketing Coordinator. “It makes sense that improving access to fresh, healthy food will help those most in need, while supporting the local farm economy.”
Since 2009, Double Up Food Bucks has expanded from five farmers market’s in Detroit to more than 150 sites across Michigan, benefiting more than 300,000 low-income families and more than 1,000 farmers. Michigan is now number three in the nation for SNAP use at farmers markets, and the top state in the Midwest Region.
The Downtown Rochester Farmers’ Market features only Michigan-grown (or made) products including vegetables, fruit, flowers, container gardens, fresh cut flowers, herbs, spices, homemade baked goods, gnocchi & pasta, jams and jellies, honey, maple syrup, and various certified organic products including eggs, beef and chicken.
The market is located at the corner of E. Third and Water Street in downtown Rochester and is open every Saturday, May through October, from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. and is presented by the Rochester Downtown Development Authority. For more information, please visit DowntownRochesterMI.com or contact the Rochester DDA office at (248) 656-0060.
About Sarah Hovis