Page 8 - _March 23, 2017 w_ 1_2_ boarder.pdf__

In The Know

Making Healthy Food More Affordable: New Pilot Program Begins at

Select Grocery Stores in San Jose and Gilroy

Double Up

Food Bucks
Program
Supports the CalFresh program Up Food Bucks because vegetables, they receive Jolene Smith, CEO

Low-Income (formerly known as food I know that most of our a coupon for $7 they can of FIRST 5 Santa Clara
Families and stamps) to double the customers want to buy spend on fresh produce County, a project partner

California value of their benefits fruits and vegetables for the next time they shop in and funder, highlighted
when they buy California-
their families,” explained
the store. Customers can
the impact this will have
Farms grown produce. Alonzo Lopez, president earn up to $10 in Double for young children and
The program is and co-owner of Arteaga’s Up Food Bucks per day. families. “Parents and
San Jose, CA – This available at three Food Center. “For some, The project, organized caregivers from our
morning, grocers, participating grocery though, their limited by the local non-profit Family Resource Centers
elected officials, and stores in San Jose and budgets makes it hard to SPUR, aims to distribute share with us that they
public health advocates Gilroy (see details below). afford the produce they’d $200,000 to at least 2,000 would buy more fruits and
announced the start of a These stores are the first like to buy. Double Up families during the year- vegetables if they could
new program that helps in California to offer Food Bucks helps close long pilot. afford them. The Double
low-income families Double Up Food Bucks, that gap.” “We’ve launched Up Food Bucks pilot will
afford more fruits and which is modeled on a Charlie Hua, manager Double Up Food Bucks increase the opportunity
vegetables and supports program pioneered in of Food Bowl 99, another to address one of the for families to purchase
California farms. The Michigan by the Fair of the participating stores, biggest obstacles to the healthy foods they
program, called Double Food Network. expressed a similar healthy eating – the want for themselves and
Up Food Bucks, allows “As a grocer, I’m sentiment. “As a long affordability of healthy their children.”
families participating in excited to offer Double time authorized SNAP food,” said Eli Zigas, food By supplementing the
and WIC vendor, we are and agriculture policy CalFresh program, Double
proud to participate in the director at SPUR. “We Up Food Bucks provides
Double Up Food Bucks aim to demonstrate that customers with more
(DUFB) initiative and this program can reduce money to purchase fresh
hope it develops greater hunger, improve nutrition, produce at a place where
individual awareness of and support California they’re already shopping
healthier choices that farms, all at the same for fruits and vegetables.
may have otherwise time.” “The more seamlessly
been overlooked without Santa Clara County we can help families
Awaiting DUFB. We look forward Supervisor Ken Yeager access the healthy food

also noted the benefits
they need, particularly
to bringing this to our
of the program, “When
in a place where they’re
community while also
AD 1 supporting our network of individuals have better already shopping, the
more effective we’ll be at
access to healthier food,
California growers who
studies show they’re more
are making this program
addressing hunger in our
possible.” likely to eat healthy, less communities,” explained
The program works likely to be obese, and less Cindy McCown, vice
by providing matching likely to have a diabetes president of community
dollars, in the form of a diagnosis. We need engagement and policy
coupon, when CalFresh more programs like this at Second Harvest Food
customers purchase to promote community Bank. “This program
California-grown produce health and help residents has the potential to scale
CALL NOW 1-844-232-0636 at the participating avoid the need for to more grocery stores
stores If a customer
complex, expensive health beyond this initial pilot so
purchases $7 worth of care services down the that we can have a broader
California-grown fruits or road.” impact—not just

Y 8 Z