The California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) will expand the popular and effective Market Match Program this year. Last year, in 2013, California’s healthy food SNAP (CalFresh/food-stamps) incentive program, ran at over 130 farmers’ markets and created over $1 million in revenue for produce farmers, attracted new CalFresh shoppers to the farmers markets, and added nutrition and flavor to the diets of 
low-income shoppers.
Alchemist CDC works as a funded partner of the Ecology Center to facilitate the implementation of the Market Match program at 13+ farmers’ markets in Sacramento and Yolo Counties. We want to make the biggest possible impact – get more customers to the farmers, get more fresh food to low-income folks, and promote the use of CalFresh benefits at farmers markets – with the funds provided, so we need to raise significantly more funds for Market Match. Customers often tell us how delighted they are to have the additional fresh and healthy food – just before they rush off to buy baskets of strawberries, a bag of fresh walnuts, or a pound of jalapeños. We hate to turn people away and tell them the program has ended for the year when the funds run out.
You can help extend the benefits of Market Match to more people, help those who need the assistance to get fresh produce, and help more farmers increase sales of their quality foods. Please go to our donation page, where you can write “Market Match” in the notes field to earmark your donation for Market Match funds.