Mayor Soglin, Program Supporters, Kick-Off Year Two of MadMarket Double Dollars with Northside Farmers’ Market Vendors and Customers

Year Two of the MadMarket Double Dollars Program kicked-off on Sunday with festivities at the Northside Farmers’ Market. Mayor Soglin was in attendance along with the many supporters of the program. The Double Dollars program is a farmers’ market incentive program for SNAP/FoodShare Wisconsin participants that offers a dollar-for-dollar match for money spent at participating markets.

This year’s participating markets will include the Northside Farmers’ Market, the Eastside Farmers’ Market at Wil-Mar Center, and the new Brittingham Farmers’ Market at Brittingham Park. The program will run through October and SNAP participants are eligible to obtain up to $25.00 in matching dollars at each market.

"I am thrilled we are on the Northside this morning to kick-off the second year of Double Dollars," said Mayor Paul Soglin, "Access to farmers’ markets, especially access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food, should not be a luxury only enjoyed by those of means. Thank you to our supporters of this true public/private partnership and we look forward to continued growth of the program."

The four original supporters of the program, UW Health, Meriter, Dean/St. Mary’s, and Group Health Cooperative, comprise a collaborative group called Healthy Dane focused on reversing some of the troubling health indicators in Madison and Dane County.

"Our continued support of the MadMarket Double Dollars program is but one example of how we work through our collaborative group known as Healthy Dane," said Tobi Cawthra, Community Relations Manager for Meriter/UnityPoint, "We are appreciative of the additional program supporters and hope to see expanded programming in the future."

Mayor Soglin also announced that the program reached over 500 individuals last year with over $18,000 in SNAP and Double Dollars spent over twelve weeks and he expects the program to grow in reach in 2014, thanks in large part to expanded support from CUNA Mutual Foundation, Heartland Credit Union, and L'Etoile/Graze Restaurants. The program is operated by Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin.