Kaweah Delta Gets Grant Giving CalFresh Families $20 In Fruits/Veggies At Dinuba Farmers' Market

DINUBA – Starting Friday, June 10, people using $10 in CalFresh benefits at the Dinuba Farmers’ Market will get an additional $10 to spend on locally-grown fruits and vegetables thanks to a grant awarded to Kaweah Delta Health Care District.

The additional $10 is funded through a grant from the Ecology Center in Oakland. It was awarded to Kaweah Delta to oversee Market Match, California’s healthy food incentive program. The program matches customers’ federal nutrition assistance benefits at farmers’ markets to empower low-income customers to make healthy food choices.

Market Match can be used at the Dinuba Farmers’ Market, which takes place from 6-9 p.m. beginning on June 10, and runs every Friday through Aug. 5 (with the exception of July 1) at 289 S. L Street in downtown Dinuba. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, the market provides nutritional education booths and informational booths, along with live entertainment, arts, crafts, and childrens’ activities.

In addition to electronic benefits transfer (EBT), commonly known as food stamps, the Dinuba Farmers’ Market accepts fruit and vegetable seasonal vouchers issued by WIC (Women, Infants and Children) and Area of Aging senior programs.

The Dinuba Certified Farmers Market is celebrating its third year after it was established by a collaborative effort of the Network Leaders on the Move, Tulare County Partnership (NLOM). The collaborative is comprised of local government, resident leaders, and both profit/non-profit agencies. The committee meets monthly to strategize and coordinate Dinuba’s annual seasonal farmers market. It revitalized the Dinuba Certified Farmers Market in an effort to reach surrounding communities labeled as food deserts (areas lacking healthy foods).

Along with the certified farmers’ market, various partnering agencies have emphasized the importance of nutrition using MyPlate concepts and curriculum. MyPlate illustrates the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthy diet. For example, Kaweah Delta Community Outreach Staff recently completed a 4-week nutrition series at Viscaya Gardens, a multi-family low-income apartment complex. Participants learned the basics of nutrition: serving size, portion control, reading labels, saving money by buying seasonal produce at farmers’ markets, and how to make healthy recipes.