By Lisa Carolin
Depending upon your income and/or your age, you may be eligible for some of the food assistance programs offered at both the Wednesday and Saturday Chelsea Farmers Markets.
“The amount of food people are able to get through these programs adds up to a lot,” said Market Manager Stephanie Willette. “There is a lot of support at the market through recipes and more, and I’ve talked to people who are changing their diets and cooking habits.”
Willette says that the assistance programs bring people to the market who might not otherwise attend.
“A lot of people don’t realize the variety of produce we have to offer and how affordable it is,” said Willette. “At market, we have a ton of support and information about healthy eating, recipes, cooking techniques, and cooking with unfamiliar produce which people can take advantage of.”
These are the food assistance programs currently offered at both the Wednesday and Saturday Chelsea Farmers’ Markets:
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) also known as Bridge Cards provides income assistance to those who qualify and can be used to purchase produce, baked goods, meat, dairy and some prepared foods.
DUFB A grant from Fair Food Network matches every SNAP dollar you spend with another dollar, doubling what you have to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables.
Market FRESH, or the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, provides older adults who qualify with unprocessed, Michigan-grown products. You must be 60 or older, have a total household income of 185 percent or less (of the poverty level) and live in a county (like Washtenaw) where coupons are issued.
WIC Project FRESH, which is also known as FMNP (Farmers Market Nutrition Program) is a U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service program that provides WIC (Women Infant and Children) program clients with fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables with the goal to expand awareness, use of, and sales at farmers’ markets.
It’s administered by the Michigan Department of Community Health. Women and children up to age 5 (excluding infants) who are currently enrolled in the WIC program can get coupons for fresh fruits and vegetables, and women who are either pregnant or breast feeding are targeted to help meet their special nutritional needs.
PFH (Prescription for Health) A program through the Washtenaw County Health Department that gives participants $100 worth of vegetables to spend throughout the season. To qualify, participants must be at risk for chronic disease like diabetes or heart disease and be income qualified. Participants must agree to eat healthfully and set exercise goals with a Community Health Worker.
“Prescription for Health participants are referred to our program through participating clinics like Faith in Action and the University of Michigan Chelsea Health Center,” said Ariane Reister, a health educator for Washtenaw County Public Health.
“The criteria are chronic disease risk, low-income, food insecurity (unable to spend money on fruits and vegetables,) and the ability and willingness to go to the Chelsea Farmers Markets six times from now through October, and to pick up two Fresh Food Boxes ($20 worth of produce per box) once per month in November and December at Faith in Action,” she said.
Willette says, “The market strives to be a community space that promotes health, and by making fresh whole foods more affordable, we hope that everyone can take advantage of that space.”
For more information on the various food assistance programs, come and talk to Willette at either of the Chelsea Farmers Markets.
