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When a person eligible for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) uses his or her SNAP Bridge Card to shop for food at a farmers' market, the amount of money that he or she spends is matched with Double Up Food Bucks bonus tokens.
Michigan farm markets among those accepting Bridge cards
July 8, 2011 | 
By Rosemary Parker | Kalamazoo Gazette
One in every five Michigan residents now receives food assistance benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to a news release from the Michigan Farmers Markets Food Assistance Partnership.
Bridge Cards are Michigan’s electronic benefits transfer (EBT) debit cards which are used to dispense federal food assistance dollars via the SNAP program, formerly Food Stamps. Clients can now use their cards at 82 farmers markets across the state — 32 percent of the more than 250 farmers markets operating in the state — where vendors sell qualifying foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods and meats.
More than half of the farmers markets accepting SNAP benefits are also participating in the Double Up Food Bucks program that “matches” SNAP purchases made at these farmers markets so that participants can buy more fresh, Michigan grown produce.
For more information contact Amanda Segar at 517-432-3381 or segarama@msu.edu.
This article originally appeared on MLive.com. Original article available here
