(Gainesville, Fla. – January 2, 2018) – As many Floridians continue to recover from thedisastrous impacts of Hurricane Irma, and climate refugees displaced by Hurricane Mariacontinue to arrive from Puerto Rico, Fresh Access Bucks (FAB) is extending an increased SNAPincentive match at participating farmers markets, farm stands, mobile markets, and CSAsacross Florida, including the Saturday Morning Market in St. Petersburg. The Saturday Morning Market is held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Saturday through May 26, at the Al Lang Stadium parking lot, 230 1st St. SE.
FAB is enabling Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients and DisasterSNAP recipients to match their SNAP benefits up to $40 in Fresh Access Bucks toward thepurchase of Florida-grown fruits and vegetables at participating markets through 2018. For acomplete list of participating markets in Florida, please visit www.freshaccessbucks.com/fab-markets.
A program of Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers, Inc. (FOG), Fresh Access Bucks (FAB) is a statewide incentive program designed to encourage SNAP recipients to redeem their benefits at farmers markets to purchase fresh, healthy foods directly from Florida farmers. At participating markets, FOG matches what a SNAP cardholder spends with FREE Fresh AccessBucks – up to $40, every market day for the month of October. Customers can use them rightaway or later on to buy Florida-grown fruits and vegetables.
For example, a SNAP shopper who spends $10 of their SNAP benefits at a participating market receives an additional $10 to purchase fresh, local produce. Currently there are 38 farmersmarkets, one mobile market, four farm stands, and four community-supported agriculture (CSAs) participating in FAB throughout the state. In addition to increasing the affordability of and accessibility to healthy foods, nutrition education efforts such as cooking demos at FAB marketsare integral to increasing the purchase and consumption of fresh, local produce.
For more information on FAB and the other participating markets around the state, please visit www.FreshAccessBucks.com .
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About Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers, Inc.
Florida Organic Growers (FOG) is a non-profit organization founded in 1987. FOG is a nonprofitthat supports and promotes organic and sustainable agriculture by coordinating programmingand conducting educational outreach that benefits farmers, future farmers, consumers, businesses, policy makers, researchers, and students of all ages. For more information, visit www.foginfo.org.