Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) joined Field & Fork Network and FeedMore WNY at OLV Human Services to announce a four-year federal grant totaling $3,077,153. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and awarded through the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, the grant supports initiatives to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables available to low-income families, tribal communities, and other at-risk communities. This USDA investment directly serves members of the Western New York Community.
“Too many families live in food deserts or find the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables unaffordable on a tight budget,” said Congressman Higgins. “This federal investment ensures that families have affordable access to produce, along with the flexibility to purchase healthy food at a variety of community grocers. Beyond addressing immediate needs related to food insecurity, this initiative has lasting benefits which will over time improve health and education outcomes for families in underserved communities.”
“By design, the Double Up Food Bucks program is an innovative way to address food insecurity in our communities by making fresh produce not only more accessible but also more affordable. SNAP shoppers can stretch their food dollars further with the Double Up match, bringing home more healthy food for themselves and their families. We are grateful for the ongoing investment the USDA National Institute of Food & Agriculture has made in our program. These federal resources are critical and ensure we can implement the program in those communities that need it the most,” states Lisa French, Executive Director of Field & Fork Network
This multi-year grant supports Field & Fork Network’s Double Up Food Bucks New York State: Innovating Technologies and Expanding Geographies program; a nutrition incentive program that matches the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits dollar for dollar. SNAP provides thousands of nutritionally vulnerable New Yorkers with fresh, healthy foods. The Double Up program specifically applies to fresh fruits and vegetables. Making nutritious foods more affordable and accessible to low-income families, the program is offered at farmers markets, mobile markets, as well as small retail and grocery sites across urban, suburban, and rural communities. Field & Fork Network will expand this program into grocery stores, allowing SNAP shoppers more choice in where they buy their food. Overall, they intended to expand the Double Up program to 45 New York counties by 2024.
One of the newest markets to accept Double Up Food Bucks is FeedMore WNY’s Farm Market. Field & Fork and FeedMore WNY have partnered to launch the Double Up program on FeedMore WNY’s mobile Farm Market trucks, which provide fresh, low-cost fruits and vegetables to community members through convenient stops across FeedMore WNY’s service area.
For more information: Fieldandforknetwork.com