With farmers market season starting in June 2024, From the Ground Farmers Market Collective announces its participation in the Double Up Food Bucks program, administered by Fair Food Network, states a Tuesday release.

FTGFMC manages the summer and early fall outdoor markets located in Houghton, Hancock and Calumet.

“Our farmers here in the Keweenaw and the surrounding communities grow such beautiful, healthy, delicious seasonal produce,” Amanda Makela, FTGFMC’s new co-manager said in the release. “They know the needs of their communities, and it’s our duty to help make sure this food is connected with our community. Programs like Double Up Food Bucks help us connect people using SNAP to make sure that everyone has access to the food they need.”

Double Up Food Bucks is a program of the Fair Food Network that matches SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps) purchases of fruits and vegetables at more than 230 participating locations throughout Michigan, helping people bring home more fresh fruits and vegetables while supporting local farmers and boosting local economies.

According to the Fair Foods Network webpage, Double Up Food Bucks first started in Michigan in 2009 as a pilot program in collaboration with five farmers markets in Detroit. Because of the program’s success, it now serves as a national model for nutrition incentives. Double Up matches SNAP (or food stamp) purchases of fruits and vegetables, helping families with low incomes bring home more healthy food while boosting business for farmers and food retailers.

Nationally, there are more than 1,700 Double Up locations across 30 states. In 2022, over 763,000 families nationwide participated in a Double Up program.

Fair Food Network is a national nonprofit and investor that grows community health and wealth through food. They transform how resources flow through the food economy for a more fair and resilient future. Their approach integrates policy advocacy that brings proven solutions to scale, partnerships that increase collective impact, and investments in food organizations and businesses that serve their communities. They are building a world in which everyone has access to healthy choices, economic opportunity, and a resilient environment. They believe that when they start with food, everything else is possible.

To participate in the Double Up Food Bucks program, the release suggests, visitors at the FTGFMC markets simply need to visit the market manager or information booth to learn more about how the program works and get started.

For more information about Double Up Food Bucks and to find participating markets, farm stands and grocery stores, visit the website at DoubleUpFoodBucks.org.