Food insecurity is a growing concern in the United States. One in seven Americans have struggled to put food on the table at some point during the year (ERS, 2013). Food assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps), help by providing funds to purchase food. However, as the “Supplemental” implies, SNAP is not intended to provide 100% of a person’s intake, although many recipients are using it in that way. The average SNAP recipient in Virginia receives $31.94 to feed themselves for a week (FNS, 2013), making it difficult to eat a balanced and varied diet.

The Farmers Market SNAP Challenge is an exercise in empathy for the Virginia Tech community; to experience, however briefly, a sense of what life is like for millions of low-income Americans facing hunger by pledging to live on the same limited food budget as an average SNAP user. Taking the SNAP Challenge has been an eye-opening experience for many, including dietitians, politicians, religious organizations, non-profits, and hunger advocates.

In a unique twist on the SNAP challenge concept, the Farmers Market SNAP Challenge will highlight the benefit local families receive from the Blacksburg Farmers Market’s SNAP Incentive Program, which matches up to $10 per shopping trip when patrons use their SNAP benefits at the market. This program is valuable for SNAP recipients, as it stretches their food budget further, while also improving their access to fresh, local foods. The program is also a boon for Farmers Market vendors, who tap into a new revenue stream, and the community, where every dollar spent at the market has a multiplier effect in the local economy.

To focus on these benfits, participants in the Farmers Market SNAP Challenge will be asked to spend part of their SNAP Challenge food budget at the Blacksburg Farmers Market, allowing them to experience the power of the SNAP doubling program for themselves. During the challenge, if you spend $10 at the farmers market, you’ll have an additional $10 added to your food budget. During the week of the SNAP Challenge, you can shop at the Blacksburg Farmers Market on Saturday, October 11th (1st day of the Challenge) and Wednesday, October 15th. Starting with the average Virginia SNAP benefit of $32, and adding in the $10 SNAP Incentive Program match for each visit, you’ll have a grand total of $52 to spend on food during the Farmers Market SNAP Challenge ($40 of which should be spent at the Blacksburg Farmers Market).

The math behind the Farmers Market SNAP Challenge budget.