Increasing 3SquaresVT/EBT Usage At Farmers Markets in Vermont

Transcription

1 Increasing 3SquaresVT/EBT Usage At Farmers Markets in Vermont Toolkit Items: 1. Why Do Outreach? 2. Overview of Basic Outreach Opportunities 3. Two Successful Models of Outreach in Vermont 4. Community Organizations and Contacts 5. Templates, Tools and Technical Assistance Developed by Hunger Free Vermont Contact: Drake Turner Adult Nutrition Initiatives Manager

2 Why Do Outreach? Get More Customers: Nearly 85,000 Vermonters currently receive 3SquaresVT benefits, the vast majority via EBT cards, bringing over $125 million federal dollars into the Vermont economy in Farmers Markets have an opportunity to increase their income by bringing more of these customers to market. Barriers: Having an EBT machine at your market is only the first step to reaching low-income shoppers and increasing your customer base and sales. Many low-income Vermonters struggle to make ends meet on a tight food budget even with their 3SquaresVT benefits. They may face multiple barriers to shopping at farmers markets, including: Lack of knowledge about the market s location and when it is open Lack of knowledge that the market accepts EBT and how it works Perception that food at the market is more expensive Unfamiliarity with products at the market and/or how to store, prepare, and cook them Lack of transportation to the market in rural areas Unfamiliarity with the market culture and environment Need for Outreach: A 2013 study by the Project for Public Spaces and Columbia University discovered that the top three reasons low-income shoppers don t shop at the farmers market are 1) they are unaware of day/time, 2) they are unaware of the location and 3) the market is inconvenient (day/time/location). The good news is that only 17% of non-shoppers cited price as a major barrier. By contrast, the top four reasons why low-income shoppers shop at the farmers market are 1) good prices, 2) high quality, 3) it s convenient and 4) it provides an increased level of socialization. The study also found that low-income shoppers are intense shoppers, meaning they tend to buy more than half of their total consumed produce at the market when they do shop there. Results: More outreach to make low-income shoppers aware of the market s location, days and times, and the fact that it has EBT access, will increase customers and sales, leading to a more sustainable program at the market.

3 Overview of Basic Outreach Opportunities To Promote Your Farmers Market to EBT Customers Provide a Welcoming, Inclusive Environment Make signage clear and visible. EBT accepted should be on roadside signs, banners, etc. EBT booth should be easy to find and well-marked with big yellow banner. Have a consistent and friendly staff person or vendor at the EBT booth every week to welcome customers. Provide sample recipes of low-cost, in-season products at the EBT booth and encourage vendors to do the same. Since 3SquaresVT participants cannot buy hot prepared foods at the market with their EBT food benefits (and often don t have the extra money to do so), encourage vendors to offer samples to help families and children to try new foods. Spread Awareness about EBT at Your Market Share EBT materials in your community. Great places to share materials would be: o Libraries and town offices o Hospitals, clinics, doctors and dentists offices o Community centers, child care centers, and senior centers o Housing complexes, transitional homes, and shelters o Summer schools and summer youth programs o Food shelves, meal sites, soup kitchens o And any other community organization or neighborhood gathering place you can think of! Speak with local reporters/papers or provide an article and photo for them to print. Make sure EBT accepted is on all marketing materials as well as website and social media. Make sure key leaders and elected officials in the community know your market accepts EBT. Enlist the help of volunteers or interns to share materials and do outreach in the area. Connect with Service Agencies in the Community Coordinate with community agencies around outreach they might like to do at the market so that EBT customers have multiple reasons to attend. Provide a brief presentation at a school or community agency. Share samples and/or coupons at this time to encourage new families to try out the market. Explore Transportation Options in Your Region Develop relationships with local transportation providers and find ways to facilitate transportation options if possible, i.e. bus vouchers from low-income housing complexes, ride-shares from rural areas, etc. Share Your Successes If you discover outreach strategies that really work for your market, share your success with other markets so that we can all learn from each other.

4 Two Successful Models of Outreach in Vermont 2013 EBT/Farmers Market Outreach Project in Burlington and Winooski with Summer Intern at Hunger Free Vermont Overview: Hunger Free Vermont had a graduate dietetics intern from July August 2013 whose project was to help us do more intensive, targeted outreach to low-income shoppers with the goal of increasing EBT usage at three small local markets the Old North End Farmers Market, the New North End Farmers Market and the Winooski Farmers Market. The intern posted market-specific flyers all around the towns in non-traditional locations and did presentations or tabled on 20 occasions in the local area, such as at the food shelf, on WIC Farm to Family days, at housing sites and during some at-risk youth events. To read more about this outreach effort, contact Angela Smith-Dieng for a copy of the project summary. Results: While the statewide increase in EBT sales from 2012 to 2013 was 12%, sales increased at the three target markets much more 66% at the New North End Farmers Market, 35% at the Old North End Farmers Market, and 63% at the Winooski Farmers Market. Next Steps: In 2015, Hunger Free Vermont is working with interns to do similar outreach for other markets and communities. We are happy to train more interns on this kind of project and provide them with materials if you are approached by a student or volunteer who would like to do this work Collaborative Project of the Youth Horticulture Project, a UVM Extension 4-H program and the Brattleboro Area Farmers Market Overview: During the 2009 season, the Brattleboro Area Farmers' Market undertook a unique partnership with market vendor the Youth Horticulture (now Agriculture) Project, a 4-H program headquartered at UVM Extension s office and 1-acre farm in Brattleboro. The goal of this project, supported by a Sustainable Communities grant from NE-SARE, was to support the use of Electronic Benefits Transfer and debit cards at the Brattleboro Area Farmers' Market in order to increase consumption of fresh local food among food stamp beneficiaries, debit customers, and youth in Brattleboro and Windham County. YHP and their youth employees staffed the EBT machine at market, created new outreach materials for market customers who use food benefits and debit cards, and wrote an EBT manual. The manual is available online at: df. Results: By the 2010 season, the Brattleboro Area Farmers Market EBT sales were more than double that of any other market in Vermont.

5 Community Organizations & Contacts There are 5 regional Community Action Agencies that serve low-income Vermonters via many programs. They are a great connection in the community: BROC - Community Action in Southwestern Vermont Contact Donna Taylor at dtaylor@broc.org Rutland 60 Center Street, BROC or (802) Bennington 332 Orchard Road, (802) Capstone Community Action Contact Jen Evans at jevans@capstonevt.org Barre 20 Gable Place, or (802) Randolph 12 Prince Street, or (802) Morrisville 197 Harrel Street, or (802) Bradford 22 Whistlestop Way, (802) Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) Contact Karen Haury at khaury@cvoeo.org Burlington 255 South Champlain Street, , (802) Middlebury 48 Creek Road, or (802) St. Albans 5 Lemnah Drive, or (802) Northeast Kingdom Community Action (NEKCA) Contact Dagny Greenwood at dgreenwood@nekca.org Newport 70 Main Street, , (802) St. Johnsbury Lincoln Street Center, (802) Canaan 253 Gail Street, (802) Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) Contact Shannon Tzrinske at stzrinske@sevca.org Westminster 91 Buck Drive, or (802) Brattleboro 15 Grove St, (802) Springfield 107 Park Street, Suite 2, (802) White River Junction 220 Holiday Drive, Suite 30, (802)

6 Windsor 1 Railroad Plaza, (802) (Thursdays only) To connect with your local Area Agency on Aging that serves Vermonters age 60 and older, simply dial the Vermont Senior HelpLine at

7 Templates, Tools, and Technical Assistance To aid your outreach efforts, the EBT Farmers Market Working Group has created the following outreach materials (most attached): EBT/Harvest Health postcard & poster Template flyer for local outreach Template newsletter article for local outreach Template to community leaders EBT farmers market map located on Electronic versions of most materials will be posted on Outreach Assistance: For questions about outreach or for more outreach materials, contact Drake Turner at Hunger Free Vermont: or Other Assistance: For questions about Crop Cash or your grant, contact Erin Buckwalter and Michael Good at NOFA: and or For questions about your EBT machine, contact Dan McDevitt at the Department for Children and Families: or For questions about the Farm to Family program, contact Mary Carlson at the Department for Children and Families: or

8 Sample Newspaper/Newsletter Article (248 words) Come Use Your EBT Card at the Farmers Market And Get Crop Cash Coupons to Buy More Fresh Fruits and Vegetables The farmers market is encouraging all area residents to come visit the market and shop for fresh, local food grown by your neighbors. The market is located at [LOCATION] on [DAY] from [TIME]. Did you know that Vermonters can use 3SquaresVT food benefits at the farmers market to access healthy local food? Plus, starting in July, when you use your 3SquaresVT benefits at the market, you will double your money with Crop Cash coupons to buy even more fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers. The system works like this: Go to the booth at the market designated with the yellow EBT and Debit Accepted Here sign to swipe their EBT card. Tell the person how much of your 3SquaresVT benefits you would like to spend and then swipe your card. You will receive wooden tokens worth $1 each to use at any vendor that sells 3SquaresVT eligible foods. As a bonus for shopping at the market, you will also receive orange Crop Cash coupons to match your EBT purchase, up to $10 per market day. These Crop Cash coupons can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the market. This is a win-win for both 3SquaresVT families who are able to purchase more farm-fresh food and the local farmers who are able to market their products to more Vermonters. So come visit the market and help spread the word! For a list of all markets that accept EBT, visit or dial Tip: Include a photo of your market when submitting the article.

9 Double Your Money! Get More Fresh Food at the NAME Farmers Market Use your EBT Food Card to buy food & get up to $10 in Crop Cash coupons to buy more fresh fruits and vegetables for your family. HOW DOES IT WORK? 1. Visit the EBT/Debit stand at the market it should have a big yellow banner hanging on it so you know where to find it. 2. Tell the person at the table you d like to use your EBT card and tell them how much you want to spend. 3. Swipe your Vermont Express card in the EBT machine and enter your PIN. The money will be taken from your 3SquaresVT benefits account. 4. The person will give you one dollar ($1) wooden tokens to buy eligible 3SquaresVT foods and Crop Cash coupons to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at the market. WHEN: DAY, TIME WHERE: SPECIFIC LOCATION For more about 3SquaresVT and a full listing of farmers markets in VT that welcome EBT, call or go to Market Season

10 Sample to Community Leaders and Elected Officials: Dear [NAME], The Farmers Market is working to promote the usage of 3SquaresVT via EBT cards and encourage area residents to use their 3SquaresVT benefits at the market. EBT sales provide the market with more revenue and are critical to ensuring the sustainability of access to fresh, local foods for low-income Vermonters. Plus, starting in July, Vermonters who use their EBT card at participating markets double their money with Crop Cash coupons they can use to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. We would love if you would be willing to help promote this important option at the market to your [constituents/community]. See attached an article about EBT and Crop Cash Coupons that could be adapted for a newsletter as well as a flyer promoting the option to use benefits at the market. For a full list of all VT markets that accept EBT, visit vermontfoodhelp.com. Thank you for your help in spreading the word, and we hope to see you on market day! Sincerely, [NAME]