Chatham Co-op Launches Double Up Food Bucks

Chatham Co-op Launches Double Up Food Bucks

SNAP Incentive program increases healthy food access for low-income families, supports local farmers

Chatham Co-op announces the launch of Double Up Food Bucks New York (Double Up), a program administered by Field & Fork Network, doubling the buying power of SNAP customers. The program matches $1 for $1 federal SNAP dollars, up to $20 per day, to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables, with an emphasis on New York-grown produce.  

“Here at the Chatham Co-op we are actively striving to fulfill our mission as a Co-operative. One of the 7 Guiding Principles of Co-operatives is Concern for Community: Co-operatives working for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members. The DUFB Incentive is great for the community as it benefits the customer, the farmer and the local economy. Local, fresh produce should be affordable and available to all, and we believe this incentive is a step in the right direction for our community. Hopefully, it will be a first step, with many more to follow that will benefit the farmer, customer & community. After all, what is more important than real, nutritious food for all?” 

Double Up is a win-win-win, it helps low-income families stretch their food budgets, local farmers sell more produce, and more food dollars stay in the local economy. Each has a positive ripple effect of benefits,” said Lisa French, co-founder and Executive Director of Field & Fork Network, which administers the Double Up program in New York State. “By incentivizing the purchasing and consuming of healthier foods, we also aim to improve the overall health and well-being of those we serve.” 

Since piloting at 7 Western New York farmers markets in 2014, Double Up has expanded into over 30 counties and 180 locations across the state, serving over 38,000 SNAP households. The program is funded by New York State, the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and over 30 philanthropic organizations across the state. Locally, we would like to recognize the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, who continues to be a key partner in helping us bring the program to life in Columbia County.   

Chatham Co-op is open to the public Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm. Additional Double Up sites in the Columbia County include Rolling Grocer 19, Copake Hillsdale Farmer’s Market, and Saugerties Farmers Market. For a complete list of participating Double Up sites and hours of operation, visit www.doubleupnys.com/locations. 

About Chatham Co-op 

 The Chatham Real Food Market is an outlet for the products of our Columbia County farms and kitchens, providing education about food and agriculture, and promoting a more localized food system. The store is co-operatively owned by the members of our community. It aims to strengthen our rural community, develop our food security, and help build a healthy local economy in our county.  

 About Double Up Food Bucks NY 

Double Up Food Bucks is a nationwide fruit and vegetable incentive program, servicing millions of low-income SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) users with a dollar-for-dollar match to increase affordability and access to fresh healthy foods at farmers markets, CSAs, farm stands, mobile markets, and grocery stores. In New York State, Double Up has contributed to 4.8 million pounds of healthy food sales to over 38,000 customers, at more than 180 sites spanning 30 counties. 

 About Field & Fork Network  

Field & Fork Network is a NYS nonprofit organization that connects communities to innovative solutions that foster a sustainable food system. 

Field and Fork Network, Inc. Receives Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Community Health Award

Field and Fork Network, Inc. Receives Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Community Health Award

August 24, 2022 

UTICA, N.Y. — Excellus BlueCross BlueShield recently awarded Field and Fork Network, Inc. a Community Health Award of $2,000 to support their Double Up Food Bucks program serving Essex County. This program is Field and Fork Network’s signature food access program.  It is a nutrition incentive program that matches SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program) benefits dollar for dollar, up to twenty dollars per day.  The Double Up incentive can only be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.

 

“Double Up is a win-win-win, low-income families bring home more healthy food, local farmers sell more produce, and more food dollars stay in the local economy. Each has a positive ripple effect of benefits,” said Lisa French, co-founder and Executive Director of Field & Fork Network, which administers the Double Up program in New York State. “By incentivizing the purchasing and consuming of healthier foods, we aim to improve the overall health and well-being of those we serve.”

 

Field & Fork Network is a non-profit organization that connects communities across New York State to innovative solutions that foster a sustainable food system. Key focus areas are agriculture, economic development, youth & community development, healthy neighborhoods and food access. Double Up Food Bucks allows families to stretch their dollar further while improving their overall health. The program’s innovative model allows it to operate in a variety of locations including corner stores, bodegas, ethnic food markets, mobile markets, farm stands and more.

 

Through a competitive application process, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Community Health Awards provide funding to launch, expand, and sustain programs and services that promote health. These investments advance health equity by extending the reach of preventive health services or health-promoting programs to vulnerable populations.

 

The health plan’s corporate giving follows all applicable laws and regulations and does not support funding organizations that conflict with its corporate mission, goals, policies, or products.

 

“The company’s Community Health Awards demonstrate a corporate commitment to support local organizations that share our mission as a nonprofit health plan,” states Eve Van de Wal, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Utica regional president. “We recognize that addressing social determinants of health, such as food insecurity, is vital to the health and wellbeing of our communities and we are pleased to support Field and Fork Network with this essential community health funding.”

 

 

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Utica region encompasses Clinton, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego and St. Lawrence counties.

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Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a nonprofit health plan with 1.5 million upstate New York members. The company’s mission is to help people live healthier and more secure lives through access to high-quality, affordable health care. Its products and services include cost-saving prescription drug discounts, wellness tracking tools and access to telemedicine. With more than 3,500 employees, the company is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce to foster innovation and better serve its members. It also encourages employees to engage in their communities by providing paid volunteer time off as one of many benefits. To learn more, visit ExcellusBCBS.com.

Double Up Food Bucks now accepted at Niagara Falls city market

Niagara Falls City Market vendors will now be accepting Double Up Food Bucks benefits to further provide those on SNAP benefits access to healthy foods.

The Field and Fork Network was on hand to make the announcement Friday morning along with Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino, New York State Assemblyman Angelo Morinello, and members of the Buffalo Bills organization including cornerback Siran Neal.

Double Up Food Bucks is a nutrition incentive program funded by the state, the United States Department of Agriculture’s neutron institute on food and agriculture, and private foundations. The program offers individuals and families with SNAP benefits a $1 for $1 match for all their purchases at the market, up to $20 per day.

The Buffalo Bills Foundation also gave the program a $25,000 grant to support it, which they also gave last year.

Tom Lowe, the project director for the Field & Fork network, said that improving the market was the number one priority of the Niagara Falls Food Action Plan that the city council passed in 2018, with the acceptance of SNAP benefits and Double Up Food Bucks a key step to improve it.

The market was authorized to accept SNAP benefits starting September of last year, with Lowe adding that 1 in 3 Niagara Falls residents receive those benefits.

“In the two months SNAP was accepted in the 2021 season, more than $4,000 in SNAP transactions were processed,” Lowe said. “That’s more than $4,000 residents no longer had to take out of their cash budgets, that can be used for transportation, rent, child care, and other expenses.”

Morinello said that all the groups that worked to make this possible work to teach area youth about the importance of fresh food and sees a bright future for the market.

“It benefits citizens, farmers, and as we move forward, it will show children how important it is,” Morinello said.

Mayor Restaino said that earlier this summer, the city concluded its acquisition of the city market and plans on working with its partners of growing the city market.

“We feel not only will this be, as described, a centerpoint for fresh fruit and fresh vegetables,” Restaino said. “We also think this should be an area where we are able to market and showcase the many products that Niagara County has to offer.”

Vendors at the market were already accepting the Double Up benefits as it got busy on Friday. Sheri Senek, of Senek Farms in Ransomville, said that Senek Farms has been setting up at the market for over 80 years, back when it would come by horse and buggy.

“The purpose is to bring fresh fruit to the city, so customers can come and use their SNAP benefits,” Senek said. “We’re trying to grow the market, bring in new vendors, and increase customers.”

“Anything will help,” said Jim Miller, of Miller’s Farm in Hamburg, who has been selling at this market since 1982, setting up on Friday’s for the last five years.

Friday was also Kid’s Day at the market, where kids from the Niagara Falls Boys and Girls club got to explore what the market had to offer and get a photo with Neal and Billy Buffalo.

The Double Up Food Bucks program is already accepted at the North Tonawanda City Market, the Lockport Community Market, the Cornell Community Extension Veggie Van, and several markets in Downtown Buffalo. More program information is available at https://doubleupnys.com.

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