Double your food stamp power and eat healthy by shopping at two King County farmers markets

Pilot project to expand food stamp use at farmers markets beginning this week

Locally grown produce is fresh and healthy, and now two King County farmers markets are ready to try a new program aimed at getting farm-fresh items into the shopping baskets of low-income residents.

Beginning this week and running through the end of the season, farmers markets in Columbia City and Lake Forest Park will match food stamp program participants’ purchases on their electronic benefits card (EBT) on a dollar-for-dollar basis, up to $20 per market day.

If it proves to be a success, the project could be expanded next year to more of the nearly three dozen farmers markets across King County and around the state.

“Expanding opportunities for low-income residents to get farm-fresh produce makes sense from a public health perspective, and it helps to sustain our local agriculture community as well,” said King County Executive Ron Sims.

“This pilot project is a fantastic step toward improving the health of some of our most vulnerable citizens and improving their access to fresh, affordable, high quality fruits and vegetables,” he said.

The project is an effort between the King County Agriculture Program; Public Health – Seattle & King County; Friends of Third Place Commons, which sponsors the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market; Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance, which operates the Columbia City Farmers Market; and a private donor.

The Lake Forest Farmers Market operates from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays through Oct. 5, and is at 17171 Bothell Way NE on the lower level of the Lake Forest Park Town Centre. It is served by Metro bus route 331 and Sound Transit route 522.

The Columbia City Farmers Market is open each Wednesday from 3-7 p.m. through Oct. 22 at 4801 Rainier Ave. S at South Edmunds Street. It is served by Metro bus routes 7, 9, 39, and 42 from downtown Seattle and by route 48 from the University District.

Several other farmers markets in King County accept food stamp EBT cards, including University District, Lake City, West Seattle, Broadway, Madison-Madrona, Magnolia, Ballard, Phinney and Crossroads.

Information about other farmers markets in King County is available at www.pugetsoundfresh.org.

Related Information

Puget Sound Fresh

King County Agriculture Program