Foundation for Roanoke Valley Awards Salem Farmer's Market $14,000 For Its EBT/SNAP Program

The Salem Farmers Market will once again be able to match funds dollar-for-dollar in its EBT/SNAP program this summer thanks to a generous grant from Foundation for Roanoke Valley. At Monday night’s City Council meeting, the Foundation’s Executive Director, Alan Ronk, presented a $14,000 check to Salem City Manager, Kevin Boggess, and Laura Reilly, who oversees the program in Salem.


“Our unrestricted Community Catalyst Funds are powerful and flexible resources that enable us to move quickly to address important local needs and opportunities,” says Ronk. “We are delighted to provide this funding to the City of Salem and the Salem Farmers Market and look forward to the many good things that will come from the grant.”

Foundation for Roanoke Valley, the region’s community foundation for over two decades, awards millions of dollars annually to hundreds of non-profit and governmental organizations. This grant specifically designates $12,000 to directly match EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) funds and $2,000 to purchase additional wooden tokens.

“Two of Foundation for Roanoke Valley’s current priority-grant focus areas are basic human needs and economic development,” he says. “We felt that this program offered a very compelling opportunity to provide healthy, home-grown produce to those who could not otherwise afford it and, at the same time, to support the efforts of local farmers to bring such produce to the market.”

The Salem Farmers Market began this program last summer not knowing how it would be received. Shoppers at the market, who are part of the SNAP or former food stamps program, can basically double their money when shopping for fresh food on the market. For example, this grant will allow a family to get $20 worth of fruit and produce for just $10.

“This money will make a huge impact on those in need in our community and we are very grateful to the Foundation for their support,” says Reilly. “We were blown away by the reception this program received last summer and we believe it has the potential to double the number of people it helps this year.”

FIRST YEAR FIGURES WITH THE EBT/SNAP PROGRAM ON THE SALEM FARMERS MARKET IN 2011

JUNE 25 - OCTOBER 15

Total EBT Transactions 233

Total EBT Dollars from VDSS $4,589

Total Match Dollars $4,589

Total dollars spent by EBT participants $9,178

CONTACT:

Mike Stevens
City of Salem
Communications Director
(540)375-4112 office
(540)353-2041 cell
mstevens@salemva.gov

Laura Reilly
City of Salem
Horticulturist
(540) 375-3028
lreilly@salemva.gov