Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program

Beginning in May, the Jefferson County Farmers Markets (JCFM) will sign people up for the

Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) at farmers markets in Jefferson and Clallam Counties, as well as at food banks in Jefferson County and Forks. The SFMNP provides fresh fruit and vegetables to seniors with lower-income to improve health and access to nutrition. Eligible seniors can receive a benefit of $80 for the season, either as a benefit card for use directly at approved market farm booths or as a twice-monthly fresh produce box distributed through participating food banks.

The biggest change to the program this year is that signups for benefit cards will only occur at the Port Townsend, Chimacum, Sequim, and Port Angeles farmers markets, and signups for fresh produce boxes will only occur at the food banks in Port Townsend, Tri-Area (Port

Hadlock/Chimacum), Brinnon, Quilcene, Coyle, and Forks.

“This is where our partnership with the food banks is so critical,” says JCFM Executive Director Amanda Milholland. “The food banks bring their own expertise. Making sure that all elders in our county have access to healthy, local food is a core priority.”

The produce box (or bulk produce) option offers fresh, local produce shares twice a month from July through September. The bulk produce option is an excellent choice for people who have access to a food bank but cannot easily reach a local farmers market, especially community members living in rural areas. Eligible individuals can also authorize a proxy to bring completed forms to a farmers market or food bank. Once participants are signed up, their appointed proxy can pick up their shares at the food bank where they registered for SFMNP, or use their card on their behalf at a Washington State farmers market. Proxies can serve more than one person; proxy forms are available on the Jefferson County Farmers Market website as well as at the farmers markets and participating food banks. (https://jcfmarkets.org/fmnp)

When applying, applicants will be asked to show a photo ID and sign a statement confirming

their income eligibility. To be eligible for the SFMNP, individuals must meet all of the following:

1. Must be 60 years old or older (55+ if you are Native American/Alaska Native)

2. Annual income must be below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level. That means:

$29,526 Annual or $2,461 Monthly Income for 1 person; $40,034 Annual or $3,337 Monthly Income for 2 people (Add $876 for each additional person)

3. Must be a resident of Washington State

“The program works well when participants sign up for benefits at the point of distribution,” continues Millholland, adding “When people use their allocated benefits in this program, it demonstrates need and helps protect benefits for others in our community. We urge participating seniors to use all their benefits each season to help maintain funding for this program. When we use the SFMNP dollars allocated to our community, it helps us keep those dollars for the next season, supporting local food security for our community elders.”

The Jefferson County Farmers Market is the only farmers market in Washington State to

administer the SFMNP program. This year, the program will serve nearly a thousand people on the Olympic Peninsula. In Jefferson County, a seasonal $30 match in community-funded, farm-fresh food bucks is given when seniors sign up for the SFMNP benefit card at the Port Townsend or Chimacum farmers market. Stop by the Port Townsend or Chimacum Farmers Market information booth starting in May for more details about the community match, which is also available to children and families using WIC FMNP.

Downloadable proxy forms and additional resources are located on the market website.

(https://jcfmarkets.org/fmnp). Applicants should bring their form and photo ID to a farmers

market (in Chimacum, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, or Sequim), a food bank in Jefferson

County (Coyle, Brinnon, Quilcene, Tri-Area, or Port Townsend), or the Forks Community Food Bank.