Double Market Bucks Program of the Bloomington Community Farmers' Market 2016 Annual Report

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2016 Annual Report Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department Prepared by Katie Lay Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs Service Corps Fellow

A Message from the Farmers’ Market Coordinator In our fourth full season of implementing the Double Market Bucks program, we have continued to witness the success of our doubling program. Thanks to a private donor’s generous contribution to the Bloomington Parks Foundation, we were able to offer Double Market Bucks at our Saturday and Tuesday Markets again in 2016. This program aims to develop the customer base for our farmers while incentivizing vulnerable families to use federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase healthful, local foods available at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market.

In 2016, there were approximately 67,000 fewer individuals in Indiana receiving SNAP benefits compared to 2015, following a multi-year downward trend. The median income of households receiving SNAP in 2016 in Indiana District 9 was $17,456.

Marcia Veldman, Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market Coordinator

The decrease of individuals and households receiving SNAP benefits is reflected in the number of SNAP purchases and customers at market in 2016. While this runs counter to our desired outcomes, we remain committed to continuing the program. The simplicity of the Double Market Bucks program, its benefits to the SNAP beneficiaries who take advantage of it, and the overall desirable benefit of helping to ensure the fresh product at Market is accessible to all of our community make it a valuable program.

In this report, we describe trends for the following outcomes of interest: 1. Increased SNAP purchases 2. Increased SNAP customers To highlight a few findings from our 2016 data, we found: • A total of $33,813 was spent through SNAP purchases during 2016.

• The number of transactions at the Tuesday Market increased to 178 in 2016, up 27% from the 2015 season.

• More than 1,000 transactions were carried out by SNAP customers in the 2016 season.

• Participating households returned to the Market nearly five times during the season.

In a time when federal support for nutrition assistance programs is volatile, we want to do everything we can here in our town to make our neighbors’ lives less chaotic and uncertain. None of this important work would be possible without our amazing community partners who helped us spread the word about the program.

Best regards,

Marcia Veldman Farmers’ Market Coordinator

1 Double Market Bucks 2016 Annual Report

The Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market and the Double Market Bucks Program

T

he Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market was founded in 1975 and has been growing ever since. For 42 years, the Farmers’ Market has enriched the lives of the community by providing a place for residents and visitors to come together in a festive atmosphere to buy local produce and other farm products directly from the growers. The Farmers’ Market’s mission aims to support small farmers and gardeners, securing a local food source. To further the mission and increase access to the Market for all residents regardless of income, the Farmers’ Market began accepting SNAP benefits in 2007 through the Market Bucks program. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in December 2016 there were 24,153 households (approximately 8%) in Indiana District 9 enrolled in the SNAP program.

The Farmers’ Market, with the support of the Bloomington Parks Foundation, in 2013 began an incentive program called Double Market Bucks to match SNAP purchases at Market. When SNAP customers purchase Market Bucks, they receive a matching dollar amount (up to $18 per visit) in additional Market Bucks to use at the Farmers’ Market. Market Bucks are paper vouchers that come in $3 increments and may be used like cash to purchase fresh, locally produced fruits, vegetables, breads, meats, eggs, and cheeses. SNAP customers purchase Market Bucks during Farmers’ Market hours by swiping their Hoosier Works debit card on the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) machine.

Double Market Bucks has several goals: • Long-term goal 1: Reduce local food insecurity.

• Long-term goal 2: Strengthen local food economy.

• Long-term goal 3: Promote healthy lifestyles among SNAP customers.

• Short-term goal 1: Increase access to nutritious foods available at

Farmers’ Market.

• Short-term goal 2: Increase direct marketing opportunities for Farmers’

Market vendors.

We are primarily interested in evaluating the following outcomes, related to some, but not all, of the overall program goals: • Outcome 1: Increase purchases by SNAP customers.

• Outcome 2: Increase total number of SNAP customers.

We must note that the statistics included in this report are descriptive only. We are unable to make causal claims until a more rigorous evaluation takes place.

t be o n ld u o w uch m “I o get s o not t f e i l b t a rke a M .” e m h a t r at prog s i h mer t o t r s o f t Cu e k r -Ma

Double Market Bucks 2016 Annual Report 2

Outcome 1: Increase purchases by SNAP customers.

Saturday Market During the 2016 Market Season, we recorded both the frequency of SNAP customers and the

Outcome 1: they Increase purchases by the SNAP amount that purchase.

In 2015, thirdcustomers. year of the doubling program, the total amount of Saturday Market SNAPthe purchases and season, Marketwe Bucks matching reached $37,347 at Saturday and that During 2016 Market recorded both the frequency of SNAP customers Market and the amount customers purchased of of $34 of program, Market Bucks per capita. they purchased.

In 2015,an theaverage third year theworth doubling the total amount of SNAP purchase and Market Bucks matching reached $37,347 at Saturday Market, and customers purchased an average of $34 in Market Bucks per capita. In 2016, the amount of Market Bucks purchased reached $30,537, a decrease In 2016, the amount of Market Bucks purchased reached $30,537, a decrease of 18%. Average of 18%. Average purchases of Market Bucks per capita fell slightly in 2016 to $32.

purchases of Market Bucks per capita fell slightly in 2016 to $32.

Figure 1. Total SNAP purchases per Figure 1. Total SNAPMarket purchases per month at the Saturday Farmers' Market month at the Saturday Farmers’ 2015

$6,341

$7,000 $6,000 $5,000

2016

$4,049

$4,000 $3,000

$4,173 $4,224

$2,000

$4,611 $4,886 $6,609 $4,625 $3,684 $4,947

$3,632

$3,612 $4,062

$3,600

$2,594 $2,235

$1,000 $0 April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

Tuesday Market Tuesday Market During the 2015 Tuesday Market season (held (held each Tuesday, June through from 4-7 p.m.), During the 2015 Tuesday Market season each Tuesday, June September, through September, from 4-7 the total amount of SNAP purchases and Market Bucks matching was $4,629. Customers purchased $36 p.m.), the total amount of SNAP purchases and Market Bucks matching was $4,629. Customers worth of Market Bucks per capita on average in 2015.

purchased $36 worth of MB per capita on average in 2015.

In 2016, the total amount of Market Bucks purchased at Tuesday Market was $3,792, a decrease of 18% from the previous year. Customers purchased $29 worth of Market Bucks per capita on average In2016.

2016, the total amount of Market Bucks purchased at Tuesday Market was $3,792, a decrease in

of 18% from the previous year. Customers purchased $29 worth of Market Bucks per capita on Figure in 2. 2016.

Total SNAP purchases per average month at the Tuesday Farmers’ Market

Figure 2. Total SNAP purchases per month at the Tuesday Farmers 2015

2016

$2,500

$1,977 $2,000

$1,470 $1,500 $1,000 $500

$978

$783 $993 $660

$684

June

July

$876

$0

Outcome 2:

August

Increase total number of SNAP customers.

September

Outcome 2:

Increase total number of SNAP customers.

Saturday Market

Outcome 2: Increase total number of SNAP customers.

Saturday In 2015,Market there were a total of 1086 transactions at the Saturday Market over the course of the In 2015, there were a total of 1,086 SNAP transactions at the Saturday Market over the course of the season, with average ofSNAP 30 SNAP customers per Market.

2016, there were a total of 875 season, with an an average of 30 customers per Market.

In 2016,In there were a total of 875 transactions, a decrease of 19% figures. were anSNAP average of 26 SNAP transactions, a decrease of 19% fromfrom 2015.2015 There were anThere average of 26 customers (-13%) per Saturday Market in 2016. customers (-13%) per Saturday Market in 2016.

Figure 3. Total SNAP customers per month at theFigure Saturday Farmers’ Market 3. Total SNAP customers per month at the Saturday Farmers' Market 2015 250

150 100

192

182

200

139

113 120

126

50

2016

136 145

113

127

127 68

116

109

105 66

0 April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

Tuesday Market Market In 2015, Tuesday there were a total of 140 SNAP transactions during the Tuesday Market season, with an average of 6 SNAP customers per Tuesday Market. In 2016, Market staff administered 178 (+27%) total SNAP transactions In 2015, there were total ofof 140 transactionsper during the Tuesday Market season, with an at Tuesday Market, with an aaverage 8 customers Market.

average of 6 SNAP customers per Tuesday Market. In 2016, Market staff administered 178 (+27%) total SNAP transactions at Tuesday Market, with an average of 8 customers per Market.

Figure 4. Total SNAP customers per month at the Tuesday Farmers’ Figure 4. Total SNAP customers per month at the Tuesday Farmers' Market Market 2015

50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

2016

43 25

31

41 27

19

20 June

26

July

August

September

Testimonials [Please include all or some throughout the report as textbox focal points] • •

[Double Market Bucks] is an awesome program. It has helped me a lot to save money and eat fresh, local fruit and veggies. Thank you! - DMB Customer Double Market Bucks 2016 Annual Report 4 This program has been a huge benefit to me and my family…It has made it possible for us to get more fresh produce and support local farmers, both of which had become financially

Collaboration with the Indiana University School of Public Health In 2015 we worked with the Indiana University School of Public Health on an in-depth survey of participants in the Double Market Bucks program to assess the impact it has had on the lives of SNAP customers. This community-based research project was funded by the Community Health Engagement Program (CHEP).

The survey of SNAP customers who shopped at the Farmers’ Market revealed the following information: • More than 60% of SNAP customers shopped at the Farmers’ Market either 2-3 times a month or every Saturday • More than 30% of SNAP users would not shop at the Farmers’ Market if the Market Bucks program did not accept SNAP benefits.

• More than 40% of SNAP customers who shopped at the Farmers’ Market learned about the program because of a Market staff member or staff advertising.

• Attending the Farmers’ Market increased the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed by SNAP customers more than non-SNAP customers The information from the community survey reveals the importance of the Market Bucks Program and helps Market staff identify ways to continue to grow the program.

“This progr am h been as a hug e benef me an it to d my famil It has y. m ade it possi ble fo r us t more o get fresh produ and s ce uppor t loca l farm ers.”

-Mark et Cu stome r

5 Double Market Bucks 2016 Annual Report

Contact Information Marcia Veldman Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market Coordinator City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department 812.349.3700 veldmanm@bloomington.in.gov Katie Lay Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs Service Corps Fellow Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department 812.349.3700 layk@bloomington.in.gov

Thanks to our community partners Bloomingfoods Market & Deli Bloomington Housing Authority City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department Community Kitchen Habitat for Humanity Hoosier Hills Food Bank IU Health Bloomington Monroe County CASA

Monroe County Health Department Monroe County Community School Corporation Monroe County United Ministries Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard Salvation Army of Bloomington South Central Community Action Program

Double Market Bucks 2016 Annual Report 6

Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department bloomington.in.gov/farmersmarket

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