Jasper Farmers’ Market Bucks help grow market and expand services to food insecure households

The Jasper Farmers’ Market will introduce a new program to help food insecure families in Dubois County this year.

The new Market Bucks program will feature $1 and $2 coins that can only be used to purchase items at the market.

The $1 coins are Gift Bucks and can be used for any purchase at the market including craft and artisan items.

The $2 coins are Fresh Bucks and can only be used for specific food purchases at the market with the goal of reducing food insecurity. In Dubois County, about 10.3 percent of households, or about 4,300 people, experience food insecurity. This program is designed to increase options for those households enrolled in SNAP or WIC.

The Bucks will be distributed to Tri-Cap, WIC, and Dubois County FSSA. At the market, up to $10 in fresh bucks can be purchased for $5 per customer per Saturday. Documentation showing active enrollment in WIC or SNAP is required.

The new program achieves a couple of goals for the market. “We wanted to bring something new to the table for the community — no pun intended,” Huddleston said. “Two challenges we face at the market are reaching the people that could benefit from us the most and the weather. The two types of market bucks hope to solve each of those problems.”

Fresh Bucks allow participants in these food programs access to the market. Larger cities can support accepting SNAP or WIC by becoming incorporated, adding employees and purchasing the equipment necessary to participate in the programs. As a completely volunteer-driven operation, the Jasper Farmers’ Market doesn’t have the resources to take part in those programs.

“But I still wanted to see if a Fresh Bucks program could work without all the overhead,” Huddleston explained. “I talked it over with some friends, and it was suggested I approach the Dubois County Community Foundation.”

The foundation saw the idea as a worthy cause and made a $2,500 grant to fund the Fresh Bucks and defray some material costs, but the future will depend on donations and more grants.

In regards to Gift Bucks, the $1 tokens can be used to introduce new people to the market since they can be gifted. Huddleston says some local shops are even considering accepting the bucks. “They only need to come to the market to spend their gift bucks,” he said. “Brew has talked about doing this and using their purchases to create a “Food Less Traveled” special.”

The bucks also incentivize vendors to purchase seasonal memberships. Seasonal vendors will receive cash for the coins they accept while daily memberships will only be able to use the coins in the market. At $65 for the season, the benefit may be the edge needed to help grow the market and bring vendors in when the weather sometimes doesn’t cooperate.

“A vendor that pays for the season is going to want to be there as many days possible, even days with less than ideal weather,” said Huddleston. “The fuller the market is the more likely shoppers will be there.”

The Jasper Farmers’ Market will begin the 2017 season on Saturday, May 27th, from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the green north of the Jasper Train Depot. Vendors offer strawberries, radishes, peas, beets, rhubarb and other items available in early spring. Eggs, beef, jellies and pies are regularly for sale as well as pretzels, fresh breads, cinnamon rolls and muffins. Gluten free items may also be available. In addition to food, local artisans regularly have items available. They bring clothing, needlework, soaps, paper crafts, jewelry, and more.

The market’s website is http://jasperfarmersmarket.com/ and their Facebook Page is https://www.facebook.com/JasperIndianaFarmersMarket