SNAP recipients can 'double' their benefits at Monroe Farmers Market

The Monroe Farmers Market is the only place in the county where SNAP recipients can double their benefits and purchase twice the fresh produce they could elsewhere.

The DoubleBucks program, a collaboration between the market and the Pocono Mountains United Way, with funding from Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono, is an initiative to “allow people to stretch their food dollars,” said Sarah Jacobi, vice president of community impact at the local United Way.

05/09/2021

The Monroe Farmers Market is the only place in the county where SNAP recipients can double their benefits and purchase twice the fresh produce they could elsewhere.

The DoubleBucks program, a collaboration between the market and the Pocono Mountains United Way, with funding from Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono, is an initiative to “allow people to stretch their food dollars,” said Sarah Jacobi, vice president of community impact at the local United Way.

It’s a simple program that doesn’t require SNAP recipients to fill out extra forms or sign up with the market in advance. Recipients go to the market, cash in the amount of SNAP dollars they’d like to use, and get tokens worth twice that amount.

The tokens can be redeemed for fresh fruits and vegetables, Jacobi said. Prepared products such as baked goods and non-food items like candles do not qualify.

A “perception issue” exists, in that SNAP recipients may think they can only redeem their benefits at a grocery store, or that local farm-fresh produce may be “out of their reach,” Jacobi said.

Not only does this program help show that fresh fruits and vegetables are available and accessible, it provides a way for people to buy more than they otherwise could. Plus, it’s a way to help local farmers get their products out to more people, Jacobi noted.

In 2019, the DoubleBucks program saw $3,960 redeemed, Jacobi said. That amount dropped to $2,091 last year when the market had a shorter season due to COVID-19.

Applying for SNAP benefits is easier than people may think, and the stimulus bills passed by Congress have increased the benefits, so Jacobi encouraged people to take a second look at their eligibility. 

Check dhs.pa.gov/Services/Assistance/Pages/SNAP.aspx for more information from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

Credit: Kathryne Rubright Pocono Record Published 12:39 P.M. ET April 15, 2021