Good News for Double Up Food Bucks Program!
In case you missed the big news, we’re thrilled to say that our sister organization, Farmers Market Fund (FMF), has has secured state appropriation of $1.5 million for the continuation and expansion of the Double Up Food Bucks program!
Here is a message from Molly Notarianni, Program Director of FMF:
Farmers Market Fund has been busy this spring.
We led a coalition of statewide organizations who successfully secured state appropriation of $1.5 Million in the final days of the Oregon Legislature. This is the first time the state of Oregon has invested in Double Up Food Bucks, and we are so excited!
These funds will allow Farmers Market Fund to expand Double Up to farmers markets across Oregon over the next two years, doubling shoppers’ SNAP incentives and helping families bring home more fresh fruits and veggies.
We are excited about these accomplishments:
- We introduced our bill, SB 727, with 3 bipartisan chief sponsors and an impressive 32 bipartisan co-sponsors!
- We held a public hearing where:
- 3 legislators came and testified in support of our bill
- 6 stakeholders offered spoken testimony in support of our bill
- 29 stakeholders offered written testimony in support
- Our bill was highlighted in 3 partners’ legislative days in Salem, drawing nearly 400 farmers, market managers, and SNAP participants who met with their elected officials to discuss the impact of Double Up programs:
- Friends of Family Farmers’ Family Farms Mean Business Day
- Oregon Food Bank’s Oregon Hunger Response Day
- American Heart Association’s Oregon Advocacy Day
- We were featured in the press:
- Community members reached out to express their support in the Eugene Register Guard, the Corvallis Gazette Times, and the Portland Tribune
- And in the Eugene Register Guard, Albany Democrat Herald, Coos Bay World, and Lincoln City News Guard highlighted our success.
These new funds will not become available until the 2020 farmers market season. Please consider a making a donation today to help us support Double Up at local markets this summer. Every $10 helps a family bring home $10 of extra fruits and vegetables!
Support Farmers Market Fund!
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