By KATE FULLAM //
As the poundage of produce arriving in our East End Food Institute kitchen swings from hundreds to thousands of pounds per week, I’m encouraged to see some movement toward equity and expanded access to local food in our region.
Our work is focused on making products out of local produce, a process that benefits the farmer and, well, anyone who eats.
But, what about people in our community who cannot afford healthy food?
Last week, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced a $25,000 grant to bring the Double Up Food Bucks program to Suffolk. The program’s goal is to make locally grown fruits and vegetables more affordable for residents who are eligible for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps.
The program not only benefits SNAP-eligible residents, but it gives farmers the opportunity to be fairly compensated for the hard work of planning, planting, growing, harvesting and distributing their crops.
Kate Fullam: Fighting hunger.
“The Double Up Food Bucks program is a win-win for local food producers and the community – strengthening our food economy and assisting families who are facing food insecurity,” says Suffolk County Commissioner of Economic Development and Planning Natalie Wright, chairwoman of the Suffolk County Economic Development Corp., which provided the grant.
Other programs are also contributing to the Double Up cause. The EEFI has been negotiating this spring and summer to lease a new location for the Riverhead Farmers Market, which will relaunch in November and run through April 2022. For the first time, the market will accept SNAP benefits – and will also partner with Field & Fork Network, a Buffalo-based nonprofit that has expanded the Double Up Food Bucks program across New York.
Also “doubling up” is Choose LI, a collaborative effort Suffolk County launched in 2018 that seeks to inspire the community to support local and independent Long Island businesses, including those producing fruits and vegetables. Residents can visit the program website to find participating Double Up Food Bucks locations.
Double Up Food Bucks can only be used to purchase New York-grown fruits and vegetables or food-bearing plants. Anyone receiving SNAP benefits is automatically eligible, and it’s easy to transfer EBT card funds onto the Double Up Food Bucks loyalty card, which doubles the money for eligible purchases.
“With more than 350,000 Long Islanders not knowing where their next meal will come from, this program will not only give low-income residents the chance to make healthier food choices,” Bellone says. “It will also allow local farmers to gain new customers and make more money.
“Double Up Food Bucks will also allow more food dollars to stay in our local economy.”
Kate Fullam is the executive director of the nonprofit East End Food Institute.
