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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.
Program Helps Needy Buy Michigan Produce
July 1, 2011 | 
By DEENA CENTOFANTI | WJBK | myFOXDetroit.com
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WJBK) - A program is ensuring that Michigan's neediest families have access to the state's best produce.
Fair Food Network is sponsoring the second season of the Double Up Food Bucks program at more than 40 farmers' markets across our state.
The program allows Michigan families who receive federal food assistance to double their money at Michigan farmers' markets.
About one out of every five people in Michigan gets federal food help.
Here's how the program works: Bridge Card holders can go to the Bridge Card booth to buy Bridge Card tokens. Then you get an equal amount, up to $20, in Double Up tokens. The tokens spend like cash on Michigan grown produce sold by participating vendors in the market.
"It's a win-win-win. It's about lowering health care costs. If you get people to eat healthier, you're going to bring health care costs down. It's about putting more fresh fruits and vegetable in the hands of the people that often have the least access to it, a lot of the Bridge Card users, and it's also putting money directly into the pockets of the Michigan growers," said Randall Fogelman, vice president of business development for Eastern Market.
Click here for more information about the program.
This article originally appeared on My Fox Detroit. Original article available here
