Farmer’s Market fighting food insecurity.

ALPENA, Mich.– The Alpena Farmer’s Market has been part of the fair food network’s “Double–up Food Bucks” program for a few years now. The program normally matches up to twenty dollars of snap benefits at the farmers market. Since lockdown, however, the farmer’s market has taken part in an expansion of the program to further assist food insecure families. Now, $100 of bridge card benefits will be matched by $100 of double–up bucks.

“You can come down and spend up to a hundred dollars of your E.B.T. card,” said Farmer’s Market President J.B. Cook, “and you get $100 free from the Double-up Food Bucks, basically. Where, if you go to the grocery store, all you’re getting is $100 for your money, basically.”

Cook said that the market often sees over $1,000 in bridge card spending per week.

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be an important part of battling food insecurity and childhood obesity.