The Double Up Experience in Rural Michigan Report

Fair Food Network works at the intersection of food systems, sustainability, and social equity to develop solutions that support farmers, strengthen local economies, and increase access to healthy food – especially in underserved communities. Double Up Food Bucks (Double Up), a project of Fair Food Network, matches SNAP (formerly food stamps) benefits spent at participating retail locations with additional funds for the purchase of fresh Michigan grown fruits and vegetables. The Double Up program began in five Detroit farmers’ markets in 2009 and has expanded to more than 150 farmers’ markets, mobile markets, food share programs, and grocery stores around the state. This is the second of a series of papers that will look at three years of program data through a variety of lenses and discuss their implications for policy.