ITHACA, NY (CortacaToday) — Field & Fork Network is bringing their Double Up Food Bucks NY (DUFBNY) program to GreenStar locations in Tompkins County in order to combat food insecurity in the area.
Field & Food Network is a nonprofit organization with headquarters located in Buffalo, NY whose mission is “Connecting communities to innovative solutions that foster a sustainable food system.”
Their flagship DUFBNY program started ten years ago with seven farmers markets in Western New York. Now, they have more than 230 sites that utilize the program and over 100,000 customers. DUFBNY Program Director Josh McGuire says, “The amount of expansion we’ve had in ten years really speaks to the need for this program. We’re very lucky to have received some national funding as well as state appropriated funds from New York.”
The program itself provides a dollar-for-dollar match on any SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) purchases, up to $20 a day. This effectively doubles the buying power for SNAP users. The eligible purchases only include fresh fruits and vegetables, aiming to make healthier eating habits more accessible.
GreenStar, a co-op grocery retailer, is the first grocery retailer in the Finger Lakes region to implement DUFBNY. This provides an opportunity to combat food insecurity in Tompkins County, which is higher than the state average at 14.3%. GreenStar members who use SNAP are automatically enrolled in the DUFBNY program and can start accumulating Double Up Food Bucks, which they can choose to redeem whenever the like. For those who are not GreenStar members but use SNAP, enrolling in GreensStar’s FLOWER program will get them into the system and start their DUFBNY benefits.
“The program is a win-win-win,” says McGuire. “It supports individuals’ buying power in terms of purchasing healthier foods, supports local farmers, and gives more business to economies on a larger scale. It’s really exciting to be able to bring the program to Tompkins County, which has been in large part thanks to Senator Lea Webb.”
The Action Research Collaborative through Cornell University studies impacts in regard to health and food access and is an evaluation partner for Field & Fork Network. “By working with them, we’re able to ensure that our programs are working the way they’re intended to,” says McGuire of the partnership with Cornell.
To learn more about the DUFBNY program, visit Field & Fork Network’s website. For more details on GreenStar and how to get started with their various programs, visit their website here.
