Granite State Market Match program bolsters food budgets by helping SNAP households in NH increase buying power at participating farmers’ markets statewide

Manchester, N.H. – The New Hampshire Food Bank is expanding access to fresh and local fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets across New Hampshire this summer. Although the spring and summer growing seasons are seen as a time of abundance, approximately 7% of New Hampshire residents are food insecure, meaning they do not know where their next meal will come from. The New Hampshire Food Bank’s Granite State Market Match program helps Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households stretch their benefits on local fruits, vegetables, seeds, seedlings and herbs at participating farmers’ markets year-round.

With the help of Granite State Market Match, SNAP households can receive $1 in fruit and vegetable vouchers for every $1 charged to their EBT card at participating farmers’ markets throughout the state, doubling their benefits and increasing food choice. More than 25 markets are participating in Granite State Market Match statewide and new sites are regularly added. In addition to farmers’ markets, select independent retailers throughout the state also provide 50% off fresh fruits and vegetables for SNAP households through Double Up Food Bucks NH. In the 2022 farmers’ market season, 3,752 New Hampshire residents used the Granite State Market Match program. For participating locations, visit: http://granitestatemarketmatch.org/locations.

“We believe everyone should have access to fresh and nutritious food,” said Eileen Liponis, executive director of the New Hampshire Food Bank. “Granite State Market Match works to make farmers’ markets more accessible to households that receive food assistance and incentivizes SNAP recipients to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables through their farmers’ market’s voucher program. By increasing the buying power for households with SNAP throughout the state, this crucial program helps ensure more residents have access to the nutritious foods that they need.”

In addition to increasing the buying power of those experiencing food insecurity in New Hampshire, Granite State Market Match also helps support New Hampshire farmers and boost the economy, infusing $175,901 back into the local economy in 2022.

The New Hampshire Food Bank distributes nutritious food and resources to New Hampshire residents in need. In 2022, as the state’s only Food Bank, the New Hampshire Food Bank procured and provided more than 16 million pounds of non-perishable food items, fresh produce, and meats to more than 400 nonprofit food agencies in all corners of New Hampshire.

For additional information about Granite State Market Match and Double Up Food Bucks NH, visit: http://granitestatemarketmatch.org.

About the New Hampshire Food Bank
The New Hampshire Food Bank, a program of Catholic Charities New Hampshire, has been working to relieve hunger in the Granite State since 1984. In 2022, as the state’s only Food Bank, the New Hampshire Food Bank efficiently procured and distributed more than 16 million pounds of food to people in need through more than 400 non-profit registered agencies. Agencies include food pantries, neighborhood centers, low-income housing sites, senior nutrition centers, family crisis centers, hospices, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after school programs and day care centers. For more information about the New Hampshire Food Bank, please visit www.nhfoodbank.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

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