For the month of July, we’re rounding up to provide Double Produce Dollars for our FOOD for ALL owners.
Double Produce Dollars is an incentive program that makes fresh produce more affordable by matching produce purchases dollar for dollar up to $10 per day.
Our FOOD for ALL program aims to increase food security by making it more affordable to shop at Weaver Street. To be eligible, a family member must have an active EBT card (previously known as Food Stamps). This includes recipients of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).
Ownership for everyone through free FOOD for ALL share.
Since 2019, we’ve offered shoppers with an active EBT card a share in the co-op at no cost. The free FOOD for ALL owner share (formerly called our Community Share) has the same owner rights and benefits as all of our co-op owners, including weekly coupons, owner discounts, and other benefits. Currently more than 100 individuals have a FOOD for ALL share.
Double Produce Dollars address affordability barrier of fresh produce.
In August, we are piloting a new benefit for our Food for All owners—Double Produce Dollars. Double Produce Dollars is an incentive program that makes fresh produce more affordable for our low-income individuals and families participating in the Food for All program. We will use Round Up funds donated in the month of July to match produce purchases dollar for dollar up to $10 per day.
In a survey of our FOOD for ALL owners, participants overwhelmingly agreed that it’s easier to shop for healthy food at Weaver Street Market than at the other stores they shop. When survey participants were asked to self-report items they typically buy at Weaver Street, produce was most frequently mentioned, with 75.7% of participants regularly purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables at Weaver Street. However, affordability was identified as the largest barrier to shopping at our stores. FOOD for ALL owners reported that the relative cost of shopping at Weaver Street compared to other stores made it difficult to shop at the co-op on a regular basis.
The primary goal of Double Produce Dollars program is to address the affordability barrier by offering a deep discount on fresh produce through matching dollars—for every dollar the FOOD for ALL owner spends on produce they receive matching produce dollars. The August 1 start date for Double Produce Dollars will provide access to the wide variety of local and organic vegetables and fruit we sell during the height of summer and fall produce seasons.
How you can participate:
- Round up your purchases to provide Double Produce Dollars through the month of July!
- Share information about our FOOD for ALL program with your community groups.
Access to online shopping on Rosie for our EBT card holders.
Until recently, only giant online retailers including Amazon and Walmart were authorized to accept EBT cards for online shopping. Consequently we were unable to offer online shopping and curbside pickup for our FOOD for ALL owners during the pandemic. However, independent online retailers can now apply with the USDA to become authorized SNAP retailers. Weaver Street has worked with Rosie to implement the technology required to receive that authorization and our application is currently under review with the USDA.
