Double Your SNAP Funds, Access Nutritious Local Produce and Support Local Farmers
Access to nutritious, healthy food is an important basic necessity for everyone. That is why we are thankful for farmers’ markets throughout WNC for accepting SNAP as a form of payment.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the most effective method of combatting food insecurity. SNAP provides households with funds that can then be used for food purchase. The program allows people to choose the food that they want to eat, while putting the money spent back into the local economy.
While many farmers markets in WNC accept SNAP, there are a handful of markets that offer additional incentives, especially when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables. One of the most popular incentive program is called Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables. The program offers a one-to-one match on dollars spent by SNAP customers. For example, someone can exchange $10 of SNAP funds for $20 worth of fresh produce.
Double SNAP is an incredible opportunity for people utilizing SNAP to double the value of their SNAP funds, while purchasing nutrient-dense food and supporting local farmers. For information on which markets in WNC offer Double SNAP, visit ASAP’s website.
According to Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), markets offering the Double SNAP incentive dramatically increases the number of SNAP customers and sales. The program is a win-win: it provides access to fresh and healthy foods for families who are already struggling to afford groceries, while bringing in more income for our local farmers and food businesses.
While various markets in our region offer Double SNAP, there are other markets in our service area that offer SNAP incentive programs that have a different structure. You can discover which markets offer SNAP incentive programs by reading about it on ASAP’s website.
