Participation in Forsyth Farmers Market’s program for people receiving EBT, or food stamps, grew for a fifth straight year in 2013, and sales this year are on track to match that, according to its latest figures.
Teri Schell, coordinator of the market, said SNAP/EBT sales totaled $31,190 last year, a 38 percent increase from 2012’s sales of $22,466.
With assistance from the nonprofit group Wholesome Wave Georgia, Forsyth Farmers Market doubles up to $60 for customers using SNAP/EBT, meaning for 2013, including matching funds, those on supplemental assistance had a total purchasing power of $62,381.
“That means over $62,000 in good food to our neighbors, but also $62,000 in our vendors’ pockets and (money) that stays within our local economy,” said Schell.
Forsyth started its double-value token program just a few months after opening in 2009 and has seen participation increase mostly through word of mouth. Forsyth Market had the highest redemption rate for SNAP at a single farmers market in Georgia in 2013, and they’ve consistently ranked in the top two since its inception.
“Every year we’ve gotten significantly better, doubling and tripling in some years,” said Schell.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamp Program, is the nation’s largest domestic food assistance program for low-income Americans.
In Chatham County, 49,102 people were receiving SNAP benefits as of May 2014, according to the state Department of Human Services, and nearly 20 percent of the county, including seniors and children, lack ready access to nearby grocery stores to buy fresh, healthy and affordable food.
The way the system works is anyone using EBT can go to the main kiosk at the market, open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and swipe their card just as they would at a grocery store for the amount of food they want to purchase. Forsyth only matches the first $30, so average swipes for EBT customers are usually $20-$30, said Schell.
Shoppers then receive wooden tokens they can use at any of the vendors tables at the market. At the end of the day, the vendors exchange those tokens for a check, giving more buying power to low-income earners and more money to small farmers.
About 60 percent of the matching funds come from Wholesome Wave Georgia; the other 40 percent is raised locally through grants and donations.
So far this year, Schell said, they have not seen as much growth in participation, partially due to some changes in the SNAP program and the difficulty some people have making it on Saturday morning.
Forsyth Market will launch a mobile market called Farm Truck 912 this fall to reach even more people and provide healthier food options in under served neighborhoods and food deserts around Savannah.
Schell, who runs the market part-time with the help of two rotating site managers, said she’s always looking for more volunteers to help with the weekly duties.
“As our sales go up, our expenses go up, and every year it’s a challenge to raise that extra money,” said Schell.
About 20 farmers markets in Georgia participate in this program, the next closest in Statesboro, but the idea is spreading. From 2008 to 2012, the number of SNAP authorized farmers markets increased from 753 to 3,214 nationwide, according to the USDA.
A coordinator for Wilmington Island’s Farmers Market said they are working on accepting EBT in the future.
Schell said even as recognition of food security issues becomes more widespread, it’s still important for her organization to educate the community on the importance of supporting a local food system.
“There’s been a sea change in Savannah about healthy foods, but it’s still kind of new,” said Schell. “Farmers markets are a different experience … the food is fresher, and the experience is really good.”