FOOD FOR ALL
Food Access at Cuyahoga Valley Farmers Market
At Cuyahoga Valley Farmers Market, we believe everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy, and locally grown food. Our commitment to community health and supporting our local farmers drives our efforts to make nutritious options available to all residents.
Our Food Access Programs
CARROT CASH
Our very own food assistance program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) families! WIC families can bring their card to our information booth and receive $25 in Carrot Cash to use on fresh fruits and vegetables with our vendors every week. Our goal is to ensure fresh food is for everyone. While we work hard to keep these programs running all year, they do rely on limited community funding and are available while supplies last each week.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
SNAP is a federal program that gives eligible individuals a monthly food stipend, which can be redeemed through an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. Bring your EBT card to our information booth, and we’ll transfer funds of your choice into yellow tokens for you to use with our vendors.
Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)
The SFMNP provides eligible Ohioans aged 60 and older with $50 to purchase locally grown produce at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and farm markets.
CC Match
CC Match is CVFM’s own matching program. When a customer spends food assistance benefits (SNAP) at the market, CVFM matches that spending in Carrot Cash cards, up to $25 per market day. Our goal is to ensure fresh food is for everyone. While we work hard to keep these programs running all year, they do rely on limited community funding and are available while supplies last each week.
Food Dollars
Food Dollars is CVFM’s most flexible, need-based food assistance program. It provides $25 in Carrot Cash cards directly to community members who are experiencing food insecurity, regardless of enrollment in any federal or state benefit program. This is a relationship-based, dignity-first program. Our goal is to ensure fresh food is for everyone. While we work hard to keep these programs running all year, they do rely on limited community funding and are available while supplies last each week.
WIC FMNP Vouchers
This WIC program provides food assistance for eligible pregnant mothers and children under 5. The WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) distributes additional vouchers to WIC families for use exclusively at farmers’ markets, where they can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.
Summer EBT (SUN Bucks)
The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (Summer EBT or SUN Bucks) provides grocery benefits to low-income families with school-aged children when schools are closed for the summer. Summer EBT benefits will either be loaded to a household’s Ohio Direction Card, or a benefit card will be sent in the mail to each eligible child. Bring that card to our market information booth to turn your benefits into yellow tokens to shop at the market.