Kelly Hayes
The U.S. Agriculture Department’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture is awarding a $4.9 million to Feeding Florida to continue its SNAP Fresh Access Bucks program.
The award comes from the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program’s COVID Relief and Response grants initiative. It will provide a four year extension for the Fresh Access Bucks (FAB) program, which works to help low-income communities improve access fruits and vegetables.
“Our network is committed to using all tools available to ensure Floridians have access to healthy, nutritious food. Our Fresh Access Bucks program is an important asset to provide families on SNAP an incentive to access healthy produce,” Robin Safley, executive director of Feeding Florida, said in a statement. “We are excited that this grant will allow us to continue the expansion of our Fresh Access Bucks into both farmer’s markets and traditional retail outlets in rural Florida.”
Fresh Access Bucks matches SNAP/EBT dollars spent at farmers markets, farm stands, community supported agriculture programs, mobile markets and community grocers across the state. For every $1 spent with SNAP/EBT, customers receive $1 in Fresh Access Bucks for Florida-grown fresh fruits and vegetables.
“At the High Springs Farmers Market, our community is excited about the opportunity they have using the SNAP/FAB program,” Carol Rowan, market manager at High Springs Farmers Market, said in a statement. “This program makes it possible for the customers and their families to eat healthy and not worry about whether they have enough funds to feed their families.”
By improving access to healthy foods among SNAP recipients, the program expects to lower obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Estimates show that SNAP nutrition incentives, like FAB, have the potential to save $1.21 billion in health care costs by providing better access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
According to the Hunger in America study, 66% of households served by Feeding America reported choosing between food and medical care. More than half the households the Feeding America network serves have at least one member living with high blood pressure, and more than one-third have a member with diabetes.
FAB also plans to add 20 additional farm-direct locations and 13 additional grocery locations to the current 68 locations across 26 counties in Florida.
