Beginning December 15, 2017, the Alachua County Health Department Farmers’ Market (224 S.E. 24th St, Gainesville) will be open each Friday from 8 a.m. until noon, weather permitting. The market will make eating fresh, local produce easier for families on the eastside of Alachua County.
The Alachua County Health Department Farmers’ Market will participate in the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. SNAP helps reduce food insecurity and hunger for low-income households.
Households in the SNAP Program will be able use EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards to purchase fresh produce at the market. Cardholders will determine the amount of purchase and will receive wooden tokens worth $1 each. With those tokens, they can purchase fresh-picked produce, local honey, and other food items. EBT cards will be processed using an electronic verification procedure at the market welcome table.
The Alachua County Health Department Farmers’ Market will be the first Health Department hosted Farmer’s Market site in the State of Florida that will accept SNAP benefits.
The market will also be able to accept standard debit cards, credit cards, cash, or WIC/Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program coupons. WIC/Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program coupons will be available in Spring 2018 for participants.
“The community is anxiously awaiting the year-round availability of the market on the Eastside of Alachua County. With the addition of SNAP redemption, more residents will be given the excellent opportunity to shop for fresh, local foods at the market,” states Candi Morris, Administrative Assistant with the Alachua WIC Program.
For more information, contact Candi Morris at 352-225-4375.