PT Farmers Market to offer food assistance matching through season's end

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The Jefferson County Farmers Market (JCFM) is able to continue its food assistance matching program for the remainder of the 2016 market season thanks to a grant awarded by the First Federal Community Foundation.

Each year, the market is faced with the possibility of having to discontinue its food assistance programs midseason because of limited funds. On Oct. 24, the Jefferson County Farmers Market Association, the nonprofit organization that operates the Port Townsend and Chimacum markets, was awarded $5,000 from the First Federal Community Foundation for food assistance matching.

This funding ensures that JCFM is able to offer matching funds to shoppers who are low-income and qualified by the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to receive fresh, local, nutrition-dense food all market season long, according to Amanda Milholland, market director.

The program allows electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card users to get extra dollars for fresh, local food while shopping at the Port Townsend and Chimacum farmers markets. EBT card users can get $2 for fresh fruit and vegetables for each $5 they spend. When cardholders spend $20 or more, they get an additional $5 for local fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and eggs.

Last year, JCFM provided more than $12,000 in matching funds to SNAP-qualified market shoppers, enabling shoppers to bring home nearly $39,000 in local food.

So far this year, $11,231 in matching food-assistance dollars have been redeemed at the Port Townsend and Chimacum farmers markets by shoppers using EBT cards, WIC and Senior Nutrition Farmers Market vouchers.

In addition to the First Federal Community Foundation, JCFM’s food assistance program is sponsored by Jefferson Healthcare, a Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive grant from the USDA, Pane d’Amore Bakery, the Port Townsend Food Co-op and many individual contributions.

To contribute to the JCFM food assistance matching program for 2017, contact Amanda Milholland at
info@jcfmarkets.org. For more information, visit
jcfmarkets.org.

The closing day of the Chimacum Farmers’ Market was Oct. 30. The Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market runs through Dec. 17 on Tyler Street in Uptown. Market winter hours are 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The farmers markets on Dec. 10 and 17 are to be set up inside the Port Townsend Community Center, 620 Tyler St.