Kalamazoo Farmers Market extends reach to low-income shoppers with EBT, WIC programs

Access to fresh foods and healthy groceries has always been a barrier for those with few dollars to spend and limited transportation. The Kalamazoo Farmers Market has been promoting their produce to low-income shoppers who use EBT and WIC Program for the last three years. The results have multiplied each year as more shoppers have become aware of the opportunity:

Fresh, local produce doesn’t have to be a luxury.

Coupon and token systems are available for those on food stamps or those receiving Women, Infant and Children (WIC) assistance to buy produce at farmers markets, giving people a chance to eat the best produce available while supporting local farmers.

The Kalamazoo Farmers Market on Bank Street and the People’s Food Co-Op’s 100-Mile Market both have Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) machines so people can purchase produce from local vendors with Bridge Cards.

Elizabeth Forest, board chairwoman of Fair Food Matters and People’s Food Co-Op booth manager at the Kalamazoo Farmers Market, said this will be the third year an EBT machine has been at the Bank Street market. It has been put to good use.

“People tell me every week that I can’t possibly understand how this program, having the EBT available at the farmers market, what it means to their family,” Forest said. “They’re able to stretch their EBT benefits though the month and are able to buy fresh local food.”

Forest said that in its first year, $6,000 in transactions were made by EBT. In the second year, $18,000 in transactions were made.

I can testify myself that I have used EBT at the Kalamazoo Farmers Market a multitude of times and have always been satisfied. There is something about home grown local food that makes it taste better and more enjoyable.

Kalamazoo Farmers Market is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays only in May and November, from June through October, market will be open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; located at 1204 Bank St, Kalamazoo.

Read the full article: http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/05/kalamazoo_farmers_market_exten.html