Connecting low-income families to farm-fresh food
For many, access to healthy food is a problem. If you don’t have a car in South County, you have a fifty percent chance of living in a “food desert”. Even if you have a car, can you easily find fresh, nutritious, and affordable food?
Our farms in South County are a big asset. And with the farms come delicious farmers markets.
In an earlier initiative, Thundermist Health Center and Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds worked together to connect low-income individuals and families to the region’s farmers markets. There were problems to overcome: transportation, unfamiliarity with both markets and some of the fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meats that might be offered.
With our help, Thundermist:
- Negotiated with farmers and markets to accept WIC and SNAP benefits
- Provided matching support (“Bonus Bucks”) so the family’s dollar would go farther
- Brought one-day markets to local neighborhoods (“pop-up markets”)
- Offered cooking classes.
We’re grateful to everyone who made this initiative so successful!
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Farmers Markets
The growing season may not be as long as we’d like here in Rhode Island, but oh, those fresh tomatoes, corn, carrots, broccoli, peppers, melons and more.
The best places to buy are one of South County’s 12 farmers markets or directly from farms or farm stands. The best place we know for information about Rhode Island’s farmers, farmers markets, restaurants that use local produce and more is Farm Fresh RI.
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Public Benefits You May Find at Select Farmer’s Markets
- WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children up to age 5 years. WIC provides participants with a monthly voucher for fruits and vegetables and a set of vouchers for the farmer’s markets once a summer. Both can be used at participating farmer’s markets.
- SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, provides monthly funds for food assistance on an electronic benefits card (EBT)
- BONUS BUCKS are tokens provided at the WIC/SNAP table that can be used only at farmers markets. For every $5 you spend, you get $2 worth of extra vegetables
- SENIOR COUPONS are farmers market coupons for low income individuals 60 years of age or over. You can get them at your local senior center.
