A Day at the Farmer’s Market
I first heard about Health Bucks from my mentor, Sara, during a conversation about healthier eating. At the time, I didn't know much about the program, but it sounded interesting. Since then, 4EVERKIN partnered with NYC Health as an official Health Bucks distributor, and I decided to write a blog post about our real-life experience using them.
Health Bucks is a program available at participating farmers markets that promotes healthier eating for SNAP recipients. You’re able to exchange SNAP benefits for market tokens and receive additional Health Bucks that can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s a simple way to help make healthy food more affordable and accessible.
Our 4EVERKIN family visited the Brooklyn Borough Hall Greenmarket together on a warm Saturday morning to spend some Health Bucks. My sister and our children walked over, and we met up with the rest of 4EVERKIN near a fresh flower stand. Once everyone arrived, Sara passed out Health Bucks, and our group spread out to explore the market and do some shopping.
The experience overall was smooth and enjoyable. There was a bigger turnout of people than I expected, and most of the tents were packed. Some of the things I picked up included strawberry cider, tiny bell peppers to use in spaghetti, pears, and apples, while my sister found some great options too, including collard greens. There were even delicious donuts there that some of us got to enjoy.
The people at the farmers market were very friendly and welcoming, and even the farmers were happy to chat. One woman explained how she visits different farmers markets each week and uses the program regularly to earn Health Bucks. Hearing how often people utilize it helped me see how valuable the program can be. Later, when I ran out of Health Bucks, another woman even offered to purchase the rest of my food for me, which I politely declined. Small moments like that made the market feel like a real community.
Since farmers markets aren't usually part of my routine, it was nice having my 4EVERKIN family there with me while I shopped. Before this experience, I hadn't realized how many fresh food options were available or how much support programs like Health Bucks provide to help people access them. It was also interesting to learn that some people even farm on rooftops in Brooklyn, which I thought was pretty cool.
In the end, we all came together for a big group photo before heading to lunch. It was a great experience, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to learn more about Health Bucks, spend time with my 4EVERKIN family, and see firsthand how programs like this can help make healthy food more accessible. I'll definitely be visiting the farmers market again soon!
