ANN ARBOR — Michigan’s Fair Food Network has received $5.1 million from the U.S Department of Agriculture to expand Double Up Food Bucks — a statewide health food incentive program.
“We’ve proven that Double Up successfully boosts family nutrition and farmer earnings,” says Oran Hesterman, CEO of Fair Food Network. “With this funding, we’ll reach even more people, supporting healthy food environments and resilient rural and urban communities.”
The funds will be used to help participants on SNAP by expanding the Double Up program to more framers markets and grocery stores across Michigan and supporting new technology.
“We’re working to make Michigan healthier, and that includes improving access to locally grown fruit and vegetables,” Gov. Rick Snyder says. “Fair Food Network has an innovative plan that helps people make good decisions, but also helps our farmers and our economy.”
Since 2009, Double Up has expanded from five farmers markets in Detroit to more than 150 sites across Michigan, benefitting more than 300,000 low-income families and more than 1,000 farmers, according to Emile Engelhard, spokeswoman for Fair Food Network.
