Token savings

Lacey Wallace, manager of the extension office's High obesity Program, loads food-bearing plants into a customer's

vehicle. (Cathy Spaulding)

Tokens aid eligible shoppers

OSU extension office offers farmers market SNAP benefits

Story by Emily Every

Beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are eligible to double their purchasing power at farmers markets under the Double Up Oklahoma program.

Area Coordinators Virginia Stanley and Susie West at the Muskogee OSU Extension Office are excited to highlight the possibilities of the program. With Double Up, a $20 grocery haul can become a $40 haul with no additional steps — just purchase farmers' market tokens using SNAP.

It’s a pretty simple system. The extension’s booth at the farmers' market will match up to $20 worth of tokens. For example, someone spending $10 would be matched for $10, and someone spending $30 would be matched for $20 worth of tokens. The extension office will have a marked booth at the farmer’s market that lets shoppers know they process SNAP benefits.

“People can really stretch their food budget and double up on the amount of produce they’re getting,” West said.

Susie West mans the extension office's booth at the farmers'

market. (Cathy Spaulding)

Additionally, there is no cap as to how many times a shopper can use the Double Up program, and tokens do not expire. These tokens can be used for fresh produce and fruit- or vegetable-bearing plants.

“There are a ton of great healthy options at the farmers' market. There really is something for everybody,” Stanley said.

The program has been live for several years, but has been increasingly essential following COVID-19.

“I suspect that there are SNAP beneficiaries that don’t know about the program, particularly with COVID-19 and there being more people using SNAP right now,” West said. “You know, kids are out of school, so that’s fewer meals that they’re getting from school lunches. We really want to highlight this program for people who may not already know about it.”

The extension office also is partnering with local medical providers on a program called OKFresh, which provides fresh fruits and vegetables for people experiencing food insecurity. Those interested should contact participating clinics to see if they are eligible for the service.

You can learn more about OKFresh at www. okfresh.org or at the extension office’s booths at the farmers' market.

The Muskogee Farmers' Market is open Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon in front of the Civic Center, in the 400 block of West Okmulgee Avenue.