“Double Bucks” Program Enhances Access to Healthy Food
Wilmington Farmers Market Doubles SNAP/EBT Benefits: Nourishing Communities Twice Over! (PHOTO: WSFA)
Camille Bliss: Beneficiary of the SNAP/EBT Matching Initiative
According to 6 WECT, in Wilmington, North Carolina, the local farmers market is making healthy locally-grown food more accessible to all by implementing a new initiative called the “Double Bucks” program. Operated in the Wilmington Farmers Market at Tidal Creek every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., this program matches up to $20 worth of SNAP/EBT benefits effectively doubling the purchasing power of those in need. Camille Bliss, a student at UNCW and employee at Tidal Creek Co-op shares her experience of utilizing the program highlighting how it allows her to afford a greater variety of nutritious produce that would otherwise be financially out of reach.
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Empowering Communities Through Accessible Nutrition: The Impact of the Double Bucks Program at Wilmington Farmers Market
For Bliss and many others, the Double Bucks program has become a vital resource enabling them to fill their shopping bags with an abundance of fresh locally-sourced vegetables and fruits. By providing this opportunity to stretch limited budgets, the program not only benefits individual shoppers like Bliss, but also supports local Wilmington Farmers Market by increasing demand for their products. Bliss emphasizes the importance of access to nutritious food, particularly in contrast to the often depleted options found in grocery stores, and sees the Double Bucks initiative as a step towards improving food equity and community health. Located at 5329 Oleander Drive, the Wilmington Farmers Market at Tidal Creek serves as a beacon of community support fostering connections between growers and consumers while promoting healthy eating habits. With the Double Bucks program in place, the market continues to fulfill its mission of making fresh locally-grown produce accessible to all regardless of financial constraints ultimately contributing to the well-being of individuals and the vitality of the local food system of Wilmington Farmers Market.
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