Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market’s SNAP match doubles produce spending power for low-income families | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Fondy Food Center
March 7, 2018
There are still six more Saturdays to enjoy the Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market (MWFM), but the SNAP Market Match ends March 31st. The MWFM’s 9th season runs through April 14th, 2018 and, for the first time, implemented a USDA SNAP incentive program that doubles the spending power of low-income families and individuals to purchase healthy, local produce.
Fondy Food Center (FFC), which operates the MWFM, offers the SNAP Market Match program to anyone with federal nutrition benefits on their Quest card. This gives low-income families the ability to purchase more local produce when they use their SNAP (FoodShare) benefits at the market. Up to $20 will be doubled each market for fresh fruits and vegetables through March 31st, or until the funds run out. “The Fondy Food Center has been offering the Market Match program at the Fondy Farmers Market for the past several years and we’re thrilled to have raised $5,000 through a federal grant program to be able to offer it at our winter market this year,” says Jennifer Casey of FFC. “Not only do our customers enjoy the ability to bring home more fresh produce to their families, our farmers appreciate the increased income. Even the non-produce vendors benefit from the program because our low-income shoppers use the Market Match coupons to purchase produce, freeing up the rest of their dollars to spend on other products.”
All customers will find nearly 50 local farmers and food producers each week; a mix of seasoned favorites and exciting new vendors who bring produce, bakery, meat, poultry, eggs, fish, dairy, cheeses, grains, ready-to-eat hot foods, specialty products, and preserves. At each market there is also a community booth with an area non-profit or organization who wants to share their engaging work with the farmers market visitors. There’s no admission fee to the market, and has free on-site and street parking, with nearby public transit. The market is a space for everyone – and an average of 1,700 customers come to enjoy it weekly.
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The MWFM is in its successful 9th season and operates on Saturdays from 9 AM to 1 PM from November to April in the Greenhouse Annex at the Mitchell Park Domes. Most of the vendors remain the same from week to week, and some are on a part-time schedule. People can find which vendors and products will be at market on the website (www.mcwfm.org), by liking the market on Facebook to see the weekly events (search “@mcwfm”), and by signing up for FFC’s weekly local food and farm newsletter, The Fondy Beet<http://fondymarket.org/newsletter/>. Each market and its mix of vendors create a vibrant environment with a variety of quality local foods.
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The Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market runs Saturdays, Nov 4th through April 14th, from 9 am – 1 pm, in the Greenhouse Annex at the Mitchell Park Conservatory (The Domes); located at 524 South Layton Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI 53215. For more info: www.mcwfm.org<http://www.mcwfm.org> Fondy Food Center brings healthy food and economic opportunity to Greater Milwaukee by operating local farmers markets throughout the year; providing access to land, resources and support to small-scale farmers; and building a better food system to improve food security & food justice in our community. The Fondy Food Center realizes its mission through its projects: Fondy Farmers Market, Fondy Market at Schlitz Park, Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market, Milwaukee Farmers Market Connection, and the Fondy Farm Project. To learn more, visit www.fondymarket.org<http://www.fondymarket.org> or call 414-562-2282.