Food Access

 

Food for all.

At Bellingham Farmers Market we are committed to food access. This means we participate in a variety of State and Federal food access programs and grants when they are available. Read on about the type of “currencies” that we accept.

 
 
 
 

AT A GLANCE

2022: Total amount of food bought at Bellingham Farmers Market with SNAP EBT and food incentive programs - $211K!

  • EBT Redeemed - $87k

  • SNAP Market Match Redeemed - $84k

  • FMNP WIC checks Redeemed - $5k

  • FMNP Senior checks Redeemed - $35k

  • BFM vendors donated 10,000 pounds of fresh produce to hunger relief agencies.

2021: Total amount of food bought at Bellingham Farmers Market with SNAP EBT and food incentive programs - $150K!

  • EBT Redeemed - $71k

  • SNAP Market Match Redeemed - $64k

  • FMNP WIC checks Redeemed - $5k

  • FMNP Senior checks Redeemed - $10k

  • BFM vendors donated 6,000 pounds of fresh produce to hunger relief agencies.

 
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SNAP EBT Card and “Tokens”

For more info on how to sign up or SNAP EBT, click here. If you have an EBT card, you can buy tokens from the BFM Info Booth. These tokens can be used at any vendor booth; on items which are SNAP eligible, just like at the grocery store. Tokens come in increments of $1 and $5. They can be spent on things like;

  • produce

  • bread

  • cheese

  • meat

  • fresh herbs

Customers should look for the pink SNAP EBT signs at vendor booths.

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SNAP Market Match

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English: If you use SNAP/EBT:

  1. Go to a participating market's information booth and tell them you’d like SNAP Market Match

  2. Swipe your EBT card for the amount you want to spend

  3. You will receive that amount in EBT tokens and the same amount in SNAP Market Match dollars. Bellingham Farmers Market currently matches up to $25 per day. Starting in April 2024, we will be offering unlimited SNAP Market Match!

  4. Shop for:

    • Fresh vegetables

    • Fresh fruits

    • Mushrooms

    • Fresh herbs

    • Seeds and plants that produce food (for example, tomato seeds or tomato plants)

ASL

 
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How to use EBT, Pandemic EBT and Market Match in American Sign Language.

 
 

Please note the SNAP Market Match amount is now $25/day instead of $40 like in the video. Starting in April 2024, we will be offering unlimited SNAP Market Match!

 

Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)
WIC and Senior food benefits

Formerly a physical voucher/check program, in 2023, FMNP transitions to an electronic benefits program. Each customers will use their card directly at any farmers market booth that is enrolled in the program. Look for the blue sign. Seniors can purchase honey with their benefits. WIC program users cannot purchase honey.

How do customers sign up?

FMNP Senior program in Whatcom County. Sign up for the program with the Whatcom Council on Aging. Specific information about the 2023 sign up process here.

FMNP WIC program - For more information, click here.
Contact one of the agencies listed here depending on where you live:

Vendors should sign up HERE.

Vendors Currently Accepting WIC and Senior Cards

Ebb and Flow Herb Farm
Foothills Farm
Farmette Fresh
Daydream Farm
Cascadia Mushrooms
Sonder Farmstead
Cabrera Farms
Backyard Bees
Cloud Mountain Farm Center
Cedarville Farm
Martin Family Orchards
Regino Farm
Rabbit Fields Farm
Osprey Hill Farm
Wright Brothers Farm
Mariposa Farm
Ameila's Vegetables
Hilda's Farming
Broad Leaf Farm
Valley Fresh Produce
Marie's Bees
Sunseed Farm
Sumas River Farm
Ben's Farm/Dragon Earth

Food Recovery

We are proud to partner with the Bellingham Food Bank. The food bank’s gleaning program recovers thousands of pounds of healthy produce for those in need.