Submitted to the Leavenworth Times.
Leavenworth Farmers Market has been supporting Leavenworth Catholic Charities food pantry during the 2017 season.
For the month of July, the farmers and vendors of the market donated 1,012 pounds of fresh produce, and other food items to Catholic Charities.
This amount has provided food to 461 families and 1,176 individuals in Leavenworth who otherwise may not be able to have fresh, healthy foods in their diets.
Each Saturday, as the market closes, representatives from Catholic Charities come to the market and pick up produce that has been donated by the vendors.
Everyone benefits from this arrangement.
Farmers know their produce, that was not sold, is provided to some family or individual who otherwise would not have access to this fresh, local food and families know they are being supported by members of a caring market community.
Leavenworth Farmers Market also participates in the Double Up Food Bucks program, a healthy food incentive program that helps lowincome families eat more healthy foods.
The market farmers and vendors are using this program to support people who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, (SNAP).
People with the SNAP card can swipe their EBT cards at the Welcome Center and buy SNAP tokens and receive a matching number of Double Up Food Bucks tokens.
A person with $25 of SNAP will receive another $25 Double Up tokens for a total of $50 that can be used at the market for fresh fruits and vegetables.
In addition to Leavenworth Catholic Charities, and the SNAP Double Up
Food Bucks, Leavenworth Farmers Market accepts checks from the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, sponsored by the federal government and the state of Kansas.
Farmers and vendors at the market receive training in the program each year from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
The Senior Farmers’ Market program is designed to provide fresh fruit and vegetables and nutrition education to older adults.
The Leavenworth Council on Aging issuessix $5 checks, totaling $30, to eligible senior citizens and the farmer at market accepts those checks as payment for fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, and local honey.
Leavenworth Farmers Market board president, Bill Kromer, says, “We’re excited to be a part of each of these programs that helps Leavenworth families and individuals stretch their food dollars and have fresh, healthy food.
“Our market is a family- friendly place with a true sense of community.
“It is a place where people can connect with the farmers who grow their food, try new fruits and vegetables and even learn how to prepare them.
“The farmers and vendors at the market are very happy to help the people of Leavenworth in this manner.”
Leavenworth Farmers Market is located in Haymarket Square, 7th and Cherokee, downtown Leavenworth. It is open Wednesdays from 3 until 6 pm. until the end of September and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. until noon, until the end of October.
For more information, contact Bill Kromer at 913-6512683.
