Farmers market season has begun in Montague, and the Montague Farmers Market is happy to announce its participation in the Double Up Food Bucks program, administered by Fair Food Network. The Montague Farmers Market joins more than 230 other locations across Michigan participating in Double Up – making fresh, Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables more within reach of families using SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps).
Double Up Food Bucks is designed to incentivize the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables for individuals and families using SNAP benefits. By using their Michigan Bridge/EBT cards at participating farmers markets like the Montague Farmers Market, SNAP recipients can increase their purchasing power, receiving a dollar-for-dollar match on fresh fruit and vegetable purchases, up to $20 per day.
Cassidy Strome, associate director of Double Up Food Bucks at Fair Food Network, shared the programs impact on both families and local economies: “Double Up Food Bucks supports families by helping them to bring home more fresh fruits and vegetables, especially as groceries have become so expensive. Additionally, it puts more dollars into the pockets of our local farmers, strengthening our communities and keeping dollars flowing in our local Michigan economies.”
To participate in the Double Up Food Bucks program, visitors to the Montague Farmers Market simply need to visit the market manager or information booth to learn more about how the program works and get started. Additionally, individuals can find more information about Double Up Food Bucks and find participating markets, farm stands, and grocery stores by visiting DoubleUpFoodBucks.org.
Michigan Bridge/EBT and Double Up Food Bucks tokens for the Montague Farmers Market are available during regular business hours at Montague City Hall and at the market on Saturdays. The Montague Farmers Market is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 11 through Oct. 26, at 4511 Church Street in Montague. In addition to offering Double Up Food Bucks, the Montague Farmers Market offers Senior Market Vouchers supporting healthier food access for senior residents of participating municipalities. Senior residents, age 62 and up, that live within the City of Montague, Whitehall Township and Fruitland Township are eligible for the Senior Market Vouchers. The monies for this program are made possible through the Muskegon County Senior Millage, which will be up for renewal this summer on the Aug. 6 ballot. City of Montague Senior Market Vouchers will be available to residents at City Hall starting June 3. Whitehall Township Senior Market Vouchers are available at the township hall now. Fruitland Township Senior Market Vouchers will be available at the township hall beginning in June.
