Food Access in the Central Valley – Introducing F-Street Bakersfield Farmers’ Market, new partner with Market Match

View of F Street Farmers' Market in Bakersfield, CA

View of F Street Farmers’ Market in Bakersfield, CA

Produce at F Street Farmers’ Market in Bakersfield, CA

Ecology Center’s Market Match Program partners with farmers’ markets all over California. Some counties—like Kern County, despite its location in the southern Central Valley—don’t have many farmers’ markets or Market Match locations. April Verhoef operates F Street Bakersfield Farmers’ Market, the only Market Match site in Kern County. This site launched in 2021, and the market offers a $10 match to customers who spend CalFresh SNAP/EBT. In addition, the market also accepts Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) checks and Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program checks.

April has cultivated a partnership with Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK), a community support and advocacy organization established in 1965. Together, they host at-market nutrition education activities in the summertime. CAPK first encouraged F Street Bakersfield Farmers’ Market to apply for Market Match in 2020. The CAPK and F Street partnership is a powerful example of organizations uplifting each other so that they may better support their local communities. The Market Match program at this location reached over 500 customers transactions in the last 12 months from Dec 2021 to Nov 2022, distributing over $5,000 in extra funds for fresh produce. Find your nearest farmers’ market on FMFinder.org, and learn more about Market Match today!

April Verhoef, manager of F Street Farmers' Market in Bakersfield, CA

April Verhoef, manager of F Street Farmers’ Market in Bakersfield, CA

 


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