I went to the Farmer’s Market on Central Avenue in Los Angeles last week to see what there is for WIC and EBT families and found a lovely oasis filled with friendly people and beautiful produce.
Huge strawberries, juicy blood oranges and ripe chirrimollos were on display, among many other offerings. While I was there, I found out about a new and exciting programs at the Central Avenue market.
Lo these many years ago, when I was a new WIC mom, we greatly appreciated all of the healthy foods we were allowed to buy with our vouchers: milk, cereal, cheese, tomato juice, beans, it was all incredibly helpful and nutritious as well. When my daughter was a bit bigger, they gave us vouchers to use at the Farmer’s Market in the summer — oranges, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes.
When you are a new mom, anything that reduces your anxiety is a gift. I remember giving her strawberries for the first time from the Burbank Farmer’s Market and how nice it was to think that people cared about us at such a stressful time for our family.
In addition to the regular WIC foods, however, there is a new year-round program giving vouchers to moms and kids for fruit and vegetables. The rules are a bit different for what a recipient can buy, but the benefits are huge, both to families and to local farmers in this down economy.
But there’s more!
Now through the end of April, Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (See-LA) and CalFresh (formerly known as Food Stamps) are working together to make the Farmer’s Market an even better place for low-income moms to buy fruits and vegetables. Funded by a grant, if you spend $5 at the Market, you get another $2 in produce. If you spend, $10, you get an extra $4 in fruits and vegetables for you and your family. WIC vouchers come in $6 and $10 increments.
Laura Gonzales, the Site Market Manager from See-LA, gave me a tour of the Market and showed me the forms that they use to track how the grant is being used. Mothers are coming to the Farmer’s Market regularly every week to get their fruits and veggies and the additional food provided by the grant. The program has been a great success so far but there are only 5 weeks remaining, so now is the best time to use your WIC and EBT vouchers at the Farmer’s Market!
The LA Central Avenue Farmer’s Market is located at 43rd and Central Avenue in the courtyard of the Central Constituents’ Center and is open on Thursdays from 1-5pm.
