Photo: WBZ NewsRadio Archive
SOMERVILLE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — During the government shutdown, the Somerville Winter Farmers Market is offering some relief to families on federal food assistant programs.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding was cut off on Nov. 1, impacting more than 40 million people nationwide, including nearly 1 million Massachusetts residents.
The Somerville Winter Farmers Market is offering two ways to help: a SNAP Match initiative and the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP).
According to their website, EBT customers can receive up to $15 in tokens for free in addition to their SNAP contributions at the weekly market. SNAP recipients need to show their card to the Market Manager’s booth to receive the tokens.
The market’s mission is to bring healthy local food products to all customers regardless of economic status.
The HIP program allows customers to receive between $40 to 80 worth in free produce at participating vendors.
There are more than 65 local food vendors. The market is now open every Saturday until April at the Arts at the Armory.
Read more: Logan Hosts Food Bank For TSA Workers Amid Longest U.S. Government Shutdown
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court Friday. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has temporarily blocked a previous lower court ruling that ordered the government to continue funding the SNAP program.
Government Maura Healey announced that SNAP recipients should have received their payments on their cards Saturday morning.
“We’re reviewing what the latest court ruling means for those expecting benefits next week,” she continued, calling on the current administration to “stop playing politics with people’s lives and pay full SNAP benefits for everyone.”
WBZ NewsRadio’s Emma Friedman (@EmmaFriedmanWBZ) reports.