Uptown Farmers Market ends fourth season strong
Saturday was the last day of the Uptown Farmers Market’s 2023 season.
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Since it began, the market has focused on increasing public access to healthy food. During this year’s season, the market reached notable goals related to the SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) and produced donations.
As a USDA SNAP-certified market, Uptown Farmers Market has partnered with the county and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council in the Double Bucks Program, matching up to $50 in benefits each month.
The market also put the ‘Triple on the Third’ program into effect in 2023, supplying an additional $50 in SNAP benefits every month with funding from corporate sponsors. The initiatives were responsible for boosting total SNAP usage to a record $75,000 for the year, an increase of 170% from 2022.
Produce donations directly to the market and help the group fight local food and nutrition insecurity. In 2023 alone, Uptown Farmers Market donated more than 3.25 tons of produce to kitchens at Roof Above and food pantries like Loaves & Fishes and Friendship Trays.
All funds from any produce purchased by people at the market go to the market’s Community Table Fund, which helps combat food insecurity.
Uptown Farmers Market plans to open its second winter market on January 13. The market will be open from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will run through March 16, 2024.
For more information about the Uptown Farmers Market, click here.
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