Double Value Program at the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market Reinstated| 11:37AM / Friday, September 04, 2015 | |
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Over the past two months the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market has been flooded with shoppers doubling their SNAP, WIC and Senior farmers market nutrition benefits through the market’s new Double Value Program.
There has been such a demand for the program, in fact, that after seven short weeks, the program exceeded its funding. This weekend, with the generous sponsorship of Greylock Federal Credit Union and Health New England, the market will reinstate the program.
The Double Value Program is a money-matching program available to mothers, senior citizens and low-income residents who are using their SNAP, WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits. The market provides up to $20 per week for each person using SNAP benefits and a full match for WIC and Senior coupons (each are valued at $2.50 but amount given varies per person).
“The Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market was started with the belief that everyone in our community should have access to healthy food. With almost one-third of the households in downtown Pittsfield neighborhoods earning less than $15,000, there is a great need for our Double Value Program,” Market Manager Jess Conzo said.
Market organizers see the program as a win-win-win: farmers increase their sales, customers are able to buy more fruits and vegetables and the market grows its customer base.
In just seven weeks, the Double Value Program has put over $11,000 worth of fresh food on the tables of families in need and leveraged federal SNAP dollars to support local farms and the Berkshire economy.
The market has had 107 SNAP transactions and gained 37 new SNAP shoppers; 113 WIC shoppers, 90 new to the market; and 218 Senior shoppers, 113 new to the market. And shoppers are coming from all over to make use of the Double Value Program, as the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market is the only market in the county doubling WIC and Senior coupons.
“The Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market is such a vibrant market with a deep sense of community. We have been a sponsor since day one and are proud to extend our support the Double Value Program this year. Increased access to fresh, nutritious foods is a huge benefit to our community,” said Victoria May, assistant vice president, manager of Marketing Promotions and Partnerships, at Greylock Federal Credit Union,
The Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market is a program of Alchemy Initiative, in partnership with the city of Pittsfield. For more information about the market, including signing up for their free weekly email newsletter, visit farmersmarketpittsfield.org or email info@farmersmarketpittsfield.org.
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