MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND SPEAKER QUINN ANNOUNCE THAT, FOR FIRST TIME EVER, ALL OF CITY'S FARMERS MARKETS WILL MAKE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES MORE AFFORDABLE FOR LOW-INCOME NEW YORKERS

138 Farmers Markets Throughout Five Boroughs Will Accept Health Bucks, Which Give Food Stamp Participants Extra $2 Toward Fruits and Vegetables For Every $5 Spent 
 
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Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs, Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley and Human Resources Administration Commissioner Robert Doar announced today that, as part of the city-wide effort to fight the obesity epidemic, the City is increasing efforts to improve access to healthy eating. 
 
To support the healthy food purchasing power of food-stamp participants, the Health Department and Human Resources Administration this year has more than doubled farmers markets participating in the Health Bucks program. Health Bucks are $2 coupons good for fresh produce at farmers markets. This year, all 138 markets (up from last year’s 65) will accept Health Bucks and the 125 of those markets that accept Food stamps/ EBT will also distribute the coupons as incentives. For each $5 of food stamps that a customer spends at farmers’ markets, they will receive one Health Buck coupon worth $2 for fresh fruits and vegetables at any farmers market. (Additional coupons at 18 of these markets are also being made available through the New York State Fresh Connect Program and Wholesome Wave foundation funding.) The program, which is the largest municipal farmers market incentive program in the country, runs from July 1 through November 15.
 
A limited supply of coupons will also be available through community organizations located in Health Department District Public Health Office neighborhoods in the South Bronx, North and Central Brooklyn, and East and Central Harlem. These organizations service neighborhoods that have high rates of poverty and chronic illness, as well as low consumption rates for fresh fruits and vegetables. Organizations in these neighborhoods may apply to distribute Health Bucks as part of their nutrition programming.
  
Additionally, Stellar Farmers Markets, a nutrition education program at farmers markets that provides Food stamp eligible New Yorkers with the knowledge, skills and resources for a healthier diet, will be at 18 markets this year. The program offers practical, cost-effective tips for eating more fruits and vegetables through onsite nutrition education and cooking demonstrations using produce purchased that day at the market, and last year reached more than 37,000 people. Each market day, Stellar Farmers Markets holds 5 nutrition workshops and cooking demonstrations and provides a $2 Health Bucks coupon for all participants.