$150,000 grant helps increase access to Michigan produce

Thanks to a $150,000 grant from the Grand Rapids Community Foundation (GRCF), low income families of Grand Rapids will have improved access to Michigan-grown fresh fruit and vegetables and many Michigan farmers will have access to a new market segment.

According to Kate Luckert Schmid, GRCF program director, Grand Rapids will be one of several Michigan cities participating in a pilot program led by  Fair Food Network, a national nonprofit based out of Ann Arbor.   

The program incentivizes food stamp users to buy Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables at local farmers' markets by offering "Double Up" tokens, which can be used to purchase Michigan produce.  

"(The program) is an intersection of a number of our funding priorities," Luckert Schmid says, citing the increased access to healthy foods, improved food security in low income homes and support for local farmers.

At this time, the participating farmers' markets have not been announced, but Luckert Schmid is confident that several area markets will be on board when the spring season begins. The funding for the pilot program will be spread out over three years in order to accurately measure its impact.

Besides helping low-income families have more options to purchase fresh produce, Luckert Schmid is also hopeful that this program will encourage more farmers' markets to accept bridge cards.

For more information about this program, you can visit the Fair Food Networks website here.

Source: Kate Luckert Schmid, GRCF
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor