Georgia Organics, Atlanta farmers’ markets to match food stamps
June 11, 2009 at 8:45 am by Thomas Wheatley in News
People living on food stamps have been given an incentive to shop at farmers’ markets.
Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Wholesome Wave Foundation, Atlanta-based nonprofit Georgia Organics has kicked off a Double Value Coupon Program which matches food stamp dollars spent at participating farmers’ markets.
“For a limited time, all food stamp dollars will have double the buying power at three Atlanta farmers markets,” Georgia Organics Executive Director Alice Rolls says. “Food stamp recipients still can choose to spend their food stamp dollars any where that accepts them, but at farmers markets, where local, fresh, and healthy food is sold, one dollar is equal to two dollars.”
Georgia Organics communications director — and former CL staff writer — Michael Wall says the effort is modeled after similar programs in San Diego, Baltimore and the Northeast United States. The program ends when the money runs out, he says, but fundraising could keep it operational.
More information about the program, including the participating farmers’ markets, after the jump.
The program has an economic benefit as well:
“This benefits the food stamp recipients, who are traditionally the most unhealthy populations, and local family farmers,” Rolls says. “The multiplying effect of spending locally has been calculated by several different groups that have determined, for every dollar spent in a local food economy, the multiplying effect means that between $1.40 and $1.70 worth of economic development actually occurs.”
East Atlanta Village Farmers’ Market will kick off the program tonight. Morningside Farmers’ Market and the on-site market at East Point, Ga.’s Truly Living Well will also participate.
For more information, visit the EAV Farmers’ Market or the Georgia Organics websites.
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
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