Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** good nutrition is vitally important…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** good nutrition is vitally important to our quality of life. Consumption of fresh vegetables and fruit contributes to our ability to prevent chronic disease and fight infectious diseases like covid-19. Individuals with underlying conditions, such as diet-related diseases, have been shown to be the most vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus. Although missouri and kansas are in the heart of america's breadbasket, over 900,000 people in the two states have relied on federal food assistance in the last year (2020-2021). O average, about 12 percent of people in both states have experienced food insecurity in the past three years, which is higher than the national average. People who receive food assistance and/or who are impacted by food insecurity often find IT difficult to purchase and consume fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce can be more expensive and does not last as long as other more processed, shelf stable foods. Many urban and rural communities are struggling to support a local grocery store or farmers market, which may be the main sources the community has for fresh produce, often locally grown. The double up food bucks heartland program is a healthy food incentive program for snap beneficiaries. IT is offered at select farmers markets, grocery stores and farm stands. IT matches snap purchases with double up food bucks, up to $25 per day, which can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. The double up heartland works with farmers markets that include vendors who sell their own specialty crops or that their neighboring farmers have grown. The program is also offered at grocery stores which have a locally grown purchasing program. The double up heartland collaborative will collect information about snap transactions, double up food bucks distribution and redemption, and the impact the program has on snap consumers and the participating retail sites. This grant award will be used to bring the program to counties in missouri and kansas that have been heavily impacted by covid-19 and the economic downturn which resulted from pandemic related lockdowns. The overarching goals of the program are to 1. Make IT easier for snap households to purchase and consume fresh produce; 2. Support local farmers; and 3. Strengthen local economies by keeping more food dollars in local communities.