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.