Daily Groceries in Athens became our first brick and mortar retail partner in 2019.
As you may know, our longest serving program is Georgia Fresh For Less. Through this program, we’ve contributed more than $3.8 million dollars to the local economy by matching the value of food stamps – also known as SNAP/EBT – on fresh, healthy, local food.
These purchases primarily occur at farmers markets and farmstands, where customers buy directly from the people growing their food, and the money goes straight into the hands of local farmers.
This year, we’re excited to serve more neighbors at brick and mortar stores.
Because local produce is often more expensive to grow and sell than goods from commercial farms, the price of local produce can be a challenge to the SNAP recipient and a local grocer. Georgia Fresh for Less relieves this barrier for both.
A couple of stores, like the Daily Groceries Co-op in Athens, have matched SNAP/EBT spending since 2019 through the Georgia Fresh for Less program due to their commitment to sourcing locally grown produce.
But the growth in demand for fresh, healthy, local food means more stores are sourcing from local farms – and that means more stores can participate in our program.
Over the course of this year, we’re establishing how this will function and look forward to working with a handful of retailers. We currently have three stores operating the program and aim to add four more this year.
Additionally, we’re looking for more locally-owned, locally-operated retailers who source produce from growers in the state of Georgia or within 150 miles of their store. If you know anyone who might be interested in joining, please send them our way!
This work is being led by our team members Alex Duncan and Moira O’Neill. If you have any questions about this program or are interested in joining, send a note to alex@wholesomewavegeorgia.org and moira@wholesomewavegeorgia.org.
