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Elgin’s weekly farmers market, providing fresh greenery and local specialty goods for the ever-growing city, has launched a new program to help its accessibility and fight rising food insecurity.
Vendors at Veterans’ Memorial Park are now set to accept Lone Star Cards as payment, the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for low-income families.
“This is an exciting opportunity to serve more Elgin residents by accepting the SNAP card as payment for fresh vegetables, fruits, meats and other foods from our central Texas farmers,” said farmers market President Emma Clark.
This new option for families going through a period of transition will help take some of the pressure off of the Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry, that has recently resorted to purchasing thousands of dollars of staple foods in order to keep their shelves stocked.
The county’s first defense against hunger has been hit with a 30% increase in requests for food, accompanied by a near 50% reduction in food supply, according to pantry representatives.
“It’s so great, it really should help us and everyone looking to buy something fresh,” said Mathew Olson, at his Olson Family Farm stand.
Olson’s stand sports a selection of vegetables not commonly found in big brand grocers, including hill country red okra and Armenian cucumbers.
The farmers market had to overcome some technical hurdles to set up the equipment.
“We want to thank the Elgin Chamber of Commerce for hosting the internet access that is required for us to accept SNAP payments,” said Austin Moline, food access coordinator of the market. “I’m happy we were able to help the farmers market get the necessary equipment and paperwork completed to help us better serve Elgin residents.”
There are 10,511 eligible individuals for SNAP in Bastrop County, and Texas ranks 47th in the nation for SNAP spent at farmers markets, according to Clark.
“By accepting SNAP as a means of payment, we’re able to increase access to fresh local food for many Elgin residents that otherwise may not be able to afford it. Our hard-working farmer vendors will benefit because they can sell their wonderful products to more people. It’s a win for farmers, a win for shoppers and a win for our community,” added Clark.
The Elgin Farmers’ Market is open year-round in downtown Elgin, serving residents since 2019 every Thursday, from 4-7 p.m., hosting more than 15 varied vendors.
Visit www.elginfarmersmarket. com for more details or https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/financial/lone-star-card to learn about SNAP benefits.
