{"id":488783,"date":"2022-08-29T17:06:52","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T14:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/how-food-stamp-programs-at-local-markets-are-improving-access-to-fresh-foods\/"},"modified":"2022-08-29T17:06:52","modified_gmt":"2022-08-29T14:06:52","slug":"how-food-stamp-programs-at-local-markets-are-improving-access-to-fresh-foods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-food-stamp-programs-at-local-markets-are-improving-access-to-fresh-foods\/","title":{"rendered":"#How food stamp programs at local markets are improving access to fresh foods"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3bbeed1c613\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3bbeed1c613\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-food-stamp-programs-at-local-markets-are-improving-access-to-fresh-foods\/#%E2%80%9CHow_food_stamp_programs_at_local_markets_are_improving_access_to_fresh_foods%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;How food stamp programs at local markets are improving access to fresh foods&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CHow_food_stamp_programs_at_local_markets_are_improving_access_to_fresh_foods%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;How food stamp programs at local markets are improving access to fresh foods&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n                            Montreal-based Carte Proximit\u00e9 offers debit-like cards redeemable at farmers\u2019 markets to allow food insecure families to buy local produce while supporting nearby growers\n                        <\/div>\n<div>\n                                                                        <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While food banks are a valuable resource for those in need, families and individuals often feel embarrassed or stigmatized when using them. Healthy food options at food banks can also be limited, especially when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables. A <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7995961\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2021 online survey\u00a0<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">found that food-insecure respondents were two to three times more likely to consume less fruit and vegetables since the beginning of the pandemic. Food-insecure respondents were also more likely to say that cost was a barrier to eating fruit and vegetables more often.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Food stamp programs\u2014where people in need are given vouchers or prepaid debit cards to purchase food at grocery stores\u2014aren\u2019t new, especially in the U.S. with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). But here in Canada, several regions have been experimenting with a new concept focused on local markets. In British Columbia, the <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bcfarmersmarket.org\/coupon-program\/how-it-works\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Farmers\u2019 Market Nutrition Coupon Program<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> began in 2007 as a pilot project and has been funded by its provincial Ministry of Health since 2012. In June 2020, Carrefour Solidaire, a community food organization based in Montreal, introduced a similar program using a prepaid debit card called <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/carteproximite.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carte Proximit\u00e9<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which participants use to purchase local food at community markets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The idea: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating a prepaid debit card system for food-insecure individuals and families to purchase fresh food at local markets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How it works:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Carte Proximit\u00e9 runs from July to October. People in need receive them from community organizations in their neighbourhood, with funds ranging from $25 to $100, depending on the size of their household. The cards can be used at one of 13 participating markets in Montreal, most of which are operated by community organizations that promote and encourage food accessibility for people in low-income brackets. While fresh fruit and vegetables are the focus of these markets, the Carte Proximit\u00e9 can also be used to purchase local meat, eggs and dairy. The cards are reloaded every month while in operation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Naomi B\u00e9n\u00e9teau Goldberg, coordinator of Carte Proximit\u00e9, says that the program allows food insecure individuals in Montreal to access fresh food in a dignified manner. \u201cPeople can choose their own products instead of going to a food bank where people don\u2019t really have much choice about what they get,\u201d she explains. The prepaid debit system also has an advantage over physical food stamps. \u201cWhen folks are using paper food coupons, it can sometimes be embarrassing. But everyone uses debit and credit cards so no one really knows what the difference is with this card.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the program started, participants have reported a 17 per cent reduction in severe food insecurity. The proportion of fruit and vegetables that participants were able to consume fresh increased from 82 per cent to 92 per cent. Local produce is often fresher and more nutritious than imported options and programs like Carte Proximit\u00e9 allow low-income and food-insecure people to access higher-quality foods. \u201cEverybody deserves to buy the quality and quantity of food that they need and want,\u201d explains B\u00e9n\u00e9teau Goldberg.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are also a host of added benefits associated with a program like Carte Proximit\u00e9. By partnering with markets that sell local food, the program supports nearby farmers instead of grocery chains. Connections between people in need and organizations that can support them are also fostered through the program. \u201cThis is a way for the community organizations to build stronger relationships with folks who are living with food insecurity or who are low-income,\u201d B\u00e9n\u00e9teau Goldberg says. Participants can learn about free meal programs or cooking workshops. Or perhaps they\u2019ll have a meaningful conversation with a market organizer. \u201cA lot of the community members that we work with are very isolated. Another big goal of this program is to break through that isolation.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The big picture:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In its first two years of operation, Carte Proximit\u00e9 distributed over $327,000 via 1,360 cards, reaching close to 4,000 people. The program is funded by the Government of Quebec, the City of Montreal and private institutions such as the Fondation Lucie et Andr\u00e9 Chagnon. But B\u00e9n\u00e9teau Goldberg says that demand always exceeds the cards available for distribution. \u201cWe would really like the government of Quebec to pass a policy on food stamps, pick up this program and run it themselves,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In April 2021, B.C. <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/petitions.ourcommons.ca\/en\/Petition\/Details?Petition=e-3290\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MP Gord Johns brought forth a petition<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for the federal government to match funding for provinces with existing market food stamp programs while also encouraging provinces without a program to create one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cA national food stamp program that allows folks to purchase local foods directly from small-scale farmers in each part of the country could have a major positive impact on our local food system,\u201d B\u00e9n\u00e9teau Goldberg says. \u201cIf every food insecure person living in Canada could get access to food stamps with amounts that increase yearly with inflation, this could make a real difference in the lives of millions of people living in Canada.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">This story is part of a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a> on food insecurity in Canada funded by the\u00a0<\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"c-link\" tabindex=\"-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.feedopportunity.com\/\" data-stringify-link=\"https:\/\/www.feedopportunity.com\/\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\" data-remove-tab-index=\"true\">Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security<\/a><\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">, in partnership with\u00a0<\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"c-link\" tabindex=\"-1\" href=\"https:\/\/cfccanada.ca\/en\/Home\" data-stringify-link=\"https:\/\/cfccanada.ca\/en\/Home\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\" data-remove-tab-index=\"true\">Community Food Centres Canada<\/a><\/i><i data-stringify-type=\"italic\">.<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer crossorigin=\"anonymous\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/general\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macleans.ca\/food-insecurity\/how-food-stamp-programs-at-local-markets-are-improving-access-to-fresh-foods\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;How food stamp programs at local markets are improving access to fresh foods&#8221; Montreal-based Carte Proximit\u00e9 offers debit-like cards redeemable at farmers\u2019 markets to allow food insecure families to buy local produce while supporting nearby growers While food banks are a valuable resource for those in need, families and individuals often feel embarrassed or stigmatized&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":488784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/GettyImages-1322099864-766x431.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[70509,115916,120644,131419],"class_list":["post-488783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","tag-food","tag-food-insecurity","tag-food-stamps","tag-the-idea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/488783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=488783"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/488783\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/488784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=488783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=488783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=488783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}