South Plains Hunger Solutions: Kids Farmer's Market
Teaching children to make healthy food choices from an early age
A child enjoying the 2021 Kid's Farmer's Market in Lubbock
Inspired by the Kid’s Farmer’s Market model out of West Virginia, South Plains Hunger Solution Coalition has been running Kids Farmers Markets since 2019. Small donations supported the initial startup of the program and then in November of 2019 the South Plains Hunger Solution coalition applied for and received a $900 grant from the Lubbock Mayor’s Fitness Council.
This grant supports Kids Farmer's Market by giving children who come along with their parents to the pop-up farmer’s market $5 vouchers to buy produce of their own choosing. The farmer’s market is located at the Roots Booker T. Washington Community Garden, helping to promote the garden to the local community as well.
In addition to the Kid’s Farmer’s Market, the participating producers are part of the Double-Up SNAP program. This program helps attract more families to farmers' markets, as it helps them maximize SNAP dollars spent on produce. Since many of these families will bring their children with them when they visit the market, the Kid’s Farmers’ Market is an exciting initiative to engage children as well. The goal is to create a positive cycle of educating children, especially in low-income or low food access communities on nutrition, food sustainability, and food production.
Amidst the colorful balloons swaying in the wind at the Roots Booker T. Washington Community Garden, the pop-up farmer’s market made its latest appearance on Friday April 16th, 2021. Thirty individuals, including eight children, visited the farmer’s market. Each child was given a five-dollar food voucher to buy any locally grown product of their choosing. A balloon twister, lawn games, reusable grocery bags for shoppers, and prizes for the children added to the festivities (provided by DUFB West Texas). As each child moved about and picked vegetables and fruits of their liking, this year’s farmer’s market again provided a merry space for the local community to benefit from the programs of the South Plains Hunger Solution.
To learn more, contact Keith Timmer at keith_timmer@baylor.edu
Author: Zane Peng
6/1/2021
