Blue Cross NC Boosts Access to Healthy Food for Triangle Residents at Area Farmers

RALEIGH N.C. — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) announced its collaboration with the Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI-USA) for the first time to fund the Double SNAP Dollars Collaborative, a partnership with 6 Triangle-area farmers’ markets. This initiative, sponsored by Blue Cross NC, provides matching “Double Bucks” incentives to low-income shoppers and is part of the company’s commitment to addressing food security in North Carolina by increasing access to healthy and nutritious local food.

Beginning on October 29, 2019, the “Double Bucks” program will be offered at the following markets:

• Durham Farmers’ Market
• South Durham Farmers’ Market
• East Durham Market - opening March 2020
• Carrboro Farmers’ Market
• Chapel Hill Farmers’ Market
• The Eno River Farmers’ Market

Farmers’ market shoppers who receive SNAP/EBT or Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) vouchers will be able to come to the farmers’ market and have each $1 spent doubled, so that $10 of benefits is worth $20 while shopping. Also, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children clients and those who receive Section 8 housing vouchers will have any cash amount doubled to shop at the farmers’ market. As a result of the 3-year sponsorship from Blue Cross NC, there will be no maximum cap for the “Double Bucks” matching incentives.

“This is a huge boost for healthy food access to Triangle-area residents, offering an unprecedented level of dependability and consistency to those individuals who need it most,” said Reagan Greene Pruitt, Vice President of Marketing & Community

Engagement at Blue Cross NC. “Blue Cross NC wants to help families practice and incorporate healthy eating habits into their daily lives, which can decrease the chances of developing chronic illnesses.”

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