Pound for Purchase Program at Farmer’s Market Benefits Clients
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2010
Contact
Brandon Meline, Director of Maternal & Child Health
(217) 531-4297 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Pound for Purchase Program at Farmer’s Market Benefits Clients
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Makes Eating Healthy A Little Easier
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) issues approximately $40,000 worth of Farmer’s Market vouchers each year. The vouchers are available to those who participate in the supplemental food program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). In August of 2008, CUPHD piloted a Farmer’s Market program to better meet the needs of clients by providing a one-stop-shop with access to fresh fruits and vegetables. This year, the market is open on Tuesday afternoons from 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM.
With these vouchers, clients can immediately purchase healthy fruits and vegetables from local growers at CUPHD’s market or various other markets around the county. Each woman and child over one year-of-age that are active in the WIC program in Champaign County receives one book of Farmer’s Market coupons per year. Each book contains $15.00 worth of coupons in five $3.00 amounts. Farmer’s Market coupons can not be used at grocery stores and should be used as close to the full amount as possible because change is not permitted. The vouchers are only good on the purchase of fruits and vegetables. Baked goods, flowers, plants, honey, or crafts do not apply.
This year, in conjunction with the USDA’s Three Sisters Garden initiative located on the University of Illinois campus, clients are able to get a free bag of additional produce for every purchase they make from a local grower (a ‘pound for purchase’). The Three Sisters Garden will provide sweet corn, green beans, vegetable soybean (edamame), and pumpkin throughout the remainder of the growing season. In its’ first week of collaboration, the pound for purchase program provided fresh produce to upwards of 100 families.
CUPHD’s scheduled pick-up day for remaining clients to receive WIC Farmer’s Market vouchers is Tuesday, August 3, 2010 beginning at 1:00 PM and continuing until 5:00 PM. All participants should look for the BROWN “WIC Farmer’s Market Coupons Accepted Here” signs at vendor’s booths. The use of LINK benefits is also available at this market and the products are available for purchase by the general public.
For additional information on CUPHD’s Farmer’s Market vouchers or WIC services, please contact CUPHD at (217) 531-4319 or visit CUPHD on the web at www.c-uphd.org.
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