Hunger Initiative: accessible healthy food with vouchers

By: Cristiana Ventura, Resource Development and Marketing Intern

Hunger-Free Pierce County Collaborative update: investing $20,000 worth of Farmer's Market vouchers in Tacoma.

The Tacoma Farmer's Market remains a favorite summer pastime for some, a vital resource for many, and a potential burden for others. Healthy and accessible food is hard to come by for those struggling to make ends meet. And food at the food banks isn't always abundant with fresh and nutritious produce.

Another successful initiative of the Collaborative includes a large investment in Tacoma Farmer's Market vouchers.Though Tacoma Farmer’s Market has been accepting EBT since 1999, “farm to table” fresh produce is still financially out of reach for many low-income families.

During the fall of 2014, Tacoma Farmer’s Market launched the Double your Dollars Matching Program, which began providing a one-to-one match of up to $10 for EBT shoppers (formerly Food Stamps), per market, per week for fresh fruits and vegetables that low-income shoppers could use to have more purchasing power. The 2014 program also piloted a WIC and Senior Nutrition Voucher matching fund that provided $10 in extra spending per market for those who qualified. 

UWPC's support helped at least 423 different shoppers double the value of over 2,070 shopping trips. 

This year, TFM wanted to continue and expand services to low-income shoppers enrolled in the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. Families and individuals qualifying for these programs can attend any of the Tacoma Farmers Market Locations and receive $10 worth of vouchers per individual, per market, per day. 

"Thank you for the “double bucks” program. We love this Farmer’s Market at Salishan. We carpool from North Tacoma to shop here and to see our friends. This summer I purchased almost all of my fruits and vegetables at the Farmer’s Market. It reminds me of my country where we could buy fruits and vegetables only at Farmer’s Markets. Thank you very much!" –Lidiya Khinotskaya (Originally from Russia)

Not only does this provide low-income families with more purchasing power, but it also encourages people to come together and break down barriers while supporting local agriculture. Many shoppers enrolled in the program have communicated to us that they would not have ever come to the market had they not learned about the vouchers. 

“Before, I didn’t eat too many vegetables and fruits, and now I have lost 10 pounds since they offered the program. I am eating better now, and the vouchers help me buy more because I am very low-income. It’s a blessing.” –Gloria Morales