Franklin Farmers Market accepts SNAP benefits

"We are delighted to share that The Franklin Farmer's Market now accepts SNAP benefits! We are excited that the Franklin Community is working together to help combat food insecurity and provide our neighbors with healthy fruits and vegetables.

Visit the Franklin Farmer's Market on Fridays from June 3 - October 29 from 2 - 6 PM (except for 4th of July weekend).

Thank you to Dean Bank for sponsoring a match program." 

Updated:  "Thank you for everyone's patience with our SNAP equipment not working this past Friday. The issue has been resolved and we are excited to get the program up and running! "

Shared from Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/p/CegVeHqsEQV/ 

Franklin Farmers Market accepts SNAP benefits

"Food insecurity is a silent problem"

"The number of Massachusetts households lacking enough food to get by doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent study from Project Bread.

More than half a million residents, more than a quarter of them children, who are eligible for SNAP, or food stamps, don’t receive benefits for the nation’s No. 1 anti-hunger program, according to the research by Project Bread, a Boston nonprofit that works to end hunger in the state.

“The cycle of hunger, it definitely is real,” said Erin McAleer, president and CEO of Project Bread, which surveyed more than 800 Boston residents in partnership with the city’s Office of Food Access and UMass Boston’s Center for Survey Research."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/08/22/metro/hungry-mass-households-doubled-during-pandemic/

Direct link to the Project Bread study updated in Aug 2021

https://www.projectbread.org/research/barriers-to-snap

"Food insecurity is a silent problem"

A related article from The Washington Post based upon census data

"Hunger around America is improving, compared with a month ago, according to the most recent U.S. census data. But food insecurity has a long way to go before returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Self-reported food insecurity for the week ending Aug. 2 was at its lowest levels since the start of the coronavirus pandemic for households with children, according to the census data. That dovetails with strong jobs numbers, stronger economic growth and other bright spots in the economic recovery.

But food stamps enrollment is still way up, 2 million more than last year and 6 million more than in 2019. And food banks are still seeing dramatically more need than during pre-pandemic times." 

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/08/23/hunger-pandemic-food-stamps/