People using Lone Star cards through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, can now double their spending at the Cowtown Farmers Market.
It's part of a new initiative called Double Up Food Bucks that launched Saturday in partnership with the Fort Worth market.
According to the Tarrant Area Food Bank, 22% of households in Tarrant County have no vehicle and live more than a mile from a grocery store or supermarket.
Farmer Charlie Blaylock who is glad the program is trying to change that.
“When someone wants to use their Lone Star card, they come to our booth, swipe their card and we issue them tokens that are doubled up,” Blaylock said.
The new initiative was created in response to an increased need for food access related to COVID-19.
“The Cowtown Farmers Market actually saw an increase in the demand, more customers coming in, because it wasn’t designated as a special event, but as an essential business — a grocer," said Matt Durene, vice president of North Texas Health Communities.
Farmers say they’re glad what they're growing is nourishing an entire community during COVID-19.
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“Farmers market food tends to be on the more expensive side, but we still want to make our fresh fruits and vegetables available to anyone in need,” Blaylock said.
North Texas Healthy Communities and Blue Zones Project are funding Double Up Food Bucks — normally matched up to $10 a day — through the summer with the possibility of expanding the program depending on demand and funding.
The Double Up Food Bucks program will also be expanded with other vendors later in the year, Durene said.
NBC5 has been a media partner for Blue Zones Project since it was first introduced to Fort Worth.
