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MDHUNGERSOLUT IONS .ORG
Improving Neighborhood Access to
Fresh Food
Receiving food aid, whether through
food stamps, WIC or another
program, is essential for families
facing food insecurity, but it is not
enough.
They must be able to purchase
adequate amounts of healthy, nutritious
food with that assistance to be healthy
and productive.
Unfortunately, this is not always the
case. A major cause of poor nutrition
and obesity among populations at
risk of hunger is the lack of access to
affordable, fresh, healthy food. Many low-
income people without easy access to
transportation must buy their groceries
from convenience stores selling few fruits
and vegetables, and stocking packaged
foods that are typically high in fat,
sodium and calories. In the few instances
where corner stores do sell healthier
foods, such as fresh produce or milk,
the prices often are much higher than in
other neighborhoods.
Maryland Hunger Solutions is
spearheading the movement to solve
this problem in the state by bringing
fresh produce to lower-income areas and
by expanding the use of the FSP, WIC
and Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
benefits at farmers’ markets. The critical
breakthrough has been getting farmers’
markets to accept electronic benefits
transfer (EBT) payments because FSP
benefits are more substantial and all FSP
benefits require the use of EBT cards.
So far, seven farmers’ markets in
Baltimore City and Baltimore County are
participating, with continued efforts at
expansion. Maryland Hunger Solutions
worked with them to ensure acquisition
and proper use of EBT machines. And
through Eat Fresh Maryland -- an
initiative of the Crossroads Community
Food Network, and of which Maryland
Hunger Solutions is a key collaborator --
Baltimore-area farmers’ markets are able
to share best-practices and innovations
with farmers’ markets across the state
that accept EBT, WIC Fruit & Vegetable
Check Program, and other federal
nutrition benefits.
Maryland Hunger Solutions also put in
place incentives for nutrition program
recipients to use farmers’ markets by
launching the Baltimore Bucks project in
2010, with support from local foundations
and Wholesome Wave. Through
Baltimore Bucks, customers with EBT
cards can double their FSP dollars up to
$10 each week. In addition, seven of the
farmers’ markets have Baltimore Bucks
incentives for customers shopping with
their WIC Fruit and Vegetable Checks
(FVC) at the market, enabling them to
double their WIC dollars.
The results so far have been impressive.
Sales of fresh, local food to low-income
Marylanders totaled $150,000 as of
the end of 2012 and farmers received
$291,000 through EBT and incentives.
“WIC is a beautiful thing
because it allows us to come to
different farmers’ markets and
get fresh fruits and vegetables.
... there’s an incentive so you can
double [your WIC voucher] with
the farmers market. It’s actually
more money for your bucks.”
—
CASSANDRA KING
, WIC RECIPIENT
