Regional Farmers Markets Awarded Grant for Healthy Food Access

From The Farmers Market Co.:

The Farmers Market.co (TFM.co) and George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) are pleased to announce a grant award for 2016-2017 from the Mary Washington Hospital Community Benefit Fund. The $30,000 grant supports Nutrition Incentives at six area farmers markets to increase healthy food access for low-income families. The award supports operation of the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps) EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) program that enables recipients to use their federal nutrition benefits at farmers markets. The program provides a market match to encourage SNAP spending on healthy, locally grown produce to improve nutrition for food insecure families. For every SNAP dollar spent, a free market match dollar is provided to purchase additional fresh fruits and vegetables. Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania and King George Farmers Market participate in the regional program.

The regional farmers market network works to increase access and affordability of fresh local foods for limited-income families and has grown to be one of the largest food access programs in Virginia, representing 18 percent of SNAP EBT redeemed at farmers markets in the Commonwealth. Through GWRC, the program works in partnership with area farmers markets, Social Services, Rappahannock Health District and many other community partners. The goal is to improve food security and healthy nutrition for the 29,697 persons that rely on federal nutrition assistance in the Fredericksburg region while building viability for family farms. In 2015, 1,882 SNAP transactions were conducted, serving 820 SNAP beneficiaries. $30,108 in SNAP benefits were used at TFM.co farmers markets, matched with an additional $22,310 in nutrition incentives.

With funding from the Mary Washington Hospital Community Benefit Fund, the program connects farmers and eaters through market access programs and education, farm-to-pantry programs and convening the Fredericksburg Food Access Forum. Working with the University of Mary Washington and Marstel-Day through the CLEAR initiative, local agriculture and food system development are connecting to broader, regional conservation and environmental efforts. To grow food access programs, a new nonprofit enterprise, Virginia Community Food Connections, is being formed.

"By increasing access and affordability of fresh, local foods, we are building thriving community Farmers Markets that serve all residents,” says Elizabeth Borst, regional program director. “Local healthcare investment in our market programs will be leveraged to further build community connections between low-income consumers and farmers. This strategy pays forward threefold by nourishing the consumer, boosting the farmer’s revenues and uplifting the community as a whole.”

For food access work in the community, in 2015, TFM.co/GWRC was the recipient of the prestigious Lawrence and Martha McMurtry Award for Excellence and Innovation in Community Health and Wellness.

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