Food Access Programs
The Haymaker Farmers’ Market participates in several food access programs designed to increase healthy eating for food insecure populations by making products at the Market more affordable.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) formerly known as “food stamps” is a federal program administered through Portage County Job & Family Services that gives low-income individuals a monthly food stipend, which they use through an “EBT” card that works like a debit card at participating merchants. SNAP customers use their benefits at the Market by purchasing wooden $1 tokens with their SNAP card at the Market table, then buying food with these tokens from vendors at the Market.
Produce Perks is a grant funded program through “Produce Perks Midwest” that seeks to increase SNAP use at Farmers’ Markets and increase fruit & vegetable consumption. Customers are given a matching benefit of $25/week in Produce Perk tokens, when they use their SNAP benefits at Market. These green tokens can then be used to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at Market.
WIC FMNP vouchers – WIC is a program for low-income “Women, Infants, and Children” which provides food assistance for pregnant mothers and children under 5. The WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) distributes additional vouchers to WIC families for use exclusively at Farmers’ Markets, where they can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.
WIC Perks vouchers are available for free at the Market table each week for customers receiving WIC benefits - and can be used to buy $10 in fresh fruits & vegetables at the Market. Customers just need to show their current WIC card at the Market table.
Senior Nutrition Program vouchers – The Senior Nutrition Program is administered by the Portage County Senior Center, who distributes packets of $5 vouchers to area senior citizens, which can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the Market.
Produce Prescriptions (PRx) - Haymaker partners with local healthcare providers who identify food-insecure patients and “prescribe” fresh fruits and vegetables instead of medicine. Patients receive produce vouchers that can be redeemed at Market.
Pandemic EBT program – P-EBT is a 2020 program created to provide food to children who receive free/reduced school lunches, but whose schools have been shut down due to the pandemic. Families receive a P-EBT card which can be used like the SNAP cards at the Market and will also be matched by the Produce Perks benefits.
The Haymaker Farmers’ Market also participates in other food assistance programs and partners with local organizations doing this work. For example, in 2020, we hosted two Buckeye Fresh events, where the Medicaid insurance company Buckeye Health gave away vouchers for food to their clients at Haymaker, as well as doing education about healthy eating. We partner with Kent State University’s Flashes Fighting Hunger program, who does nutrition education at the Market, raises money to support their food pantry, and collects unsold produce from the Market to be given to Kent Social Services. Edible Kent grows two gardens at the Market’s downtown location which produce vegetables all season long and are free for anyone to harvest from. The Socially Responsible Sweatshop of Kent promotes the Produce Perks program at Market and sells a variety of products at Market to raise money for local food assistance programs, including fully funding the WIC Perks program!