Our overarching project goal is to test and evaluate methods designed to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by low-income consumers participating in SNAP by providing incentives at point of purchase using effective, efficient, and innovative benefit redemption technologies.Intended outcomes of the Double Up program thus far are clear: in 2016 alone, Double Up resulted in $4.4+ million in SNAP plus Double Up sales to low-income families and 3,380 farmers across the country. Over the next three years, the project intends to extend the impact of the program to nearly a million (948,000) more low-income people across 52 communities in five states. No matter where SNAP customers earn their Double Up incentive dollars, their purchases result in a win/win/win outcome: SNAP shoppers brings home more healthy food, area farmers gain new customers and make more money, and more food dollars stay in the local economy.To ensure that local farmers continue to benefit from the Double Up program as it becomes more established in grocery stores, we intend to create innovative partnerships between local farmers and wholesale grocery produce suppliers in Massachusetts (Red Tomato and the Associated Grocers of New England), New Jersey (Wakefern Food Corporation), and Texas (Lowe's Warehouse). These produce distributors are committed to bringing local produce to participating stores to serve the needs of Double Up program participants.FFN's commitment to expand programming in grocery stores grows from a strong belief that these stores represent a major area of growth and innovation for SNAP incentive programs. Due to this, we want to create intentional opportunities for those implementing them to learn from one another; for this reason, we also intend to initiate the first multi-state grocery store SNAP incentive program Community of Practice (COP). This COP will speed learning and could set the stage for rapid scaling of the Double Up program across the country. The COP will also create opportunities to perform new grocery store-based program evaluation.The project will allow FFN to expand and innovate within the Double Up Program. Double Up has tested numerous innovative and promising SNAP incentive systems. It consistently pushes the technology envelope: low-tech token and voucher systems are being replaced by high-tech systems that utilize grocery store loyalty cards, "Double Up E-incentive Cards," and other electronic systems. It has been proven successful in replication and scaling to diverse communities across the country, including in StrikeForce Communities. Since its inception in the state of Michigan in 2009, it has expanded to serve 23 states across the country. Indeed, it has scaled from one type of retail location (farmers markets) to operate across many types of retail outlets (e.g., corner stores, independent grocery stores, chain supermarkets, farm stands, and mobile markets). It uses direct-to-consumer sales marketing that connects low-income consumers directly with agricultural producers who provide them with locally and regionally produced fruits and vegetables in many cases.FFN's broad and deep experience with SNAP incentive systems allows us to see where further positive change is possible. The purpose of the Double Up Program--to fight hunger by increasing fruit and vegetable purchases for SNAP users--will always remain the same. But at FFN we are always striving to do it better. Our ultimate goal is to position the program to scale to any community in the country--rural or urban--in an efficient, effective manner. Our proven ability to cultivate relationships with local partners to implement the program in diverse urban and rural locations provides further evidence of our ability to serve the nation as a whole.' />
Source: FAIR FOOD NETWORK submitted to
DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS | ACTIVATING GROCERY STORES TO SERVE HARD-TO-REACH COMMUNITIES
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
EXTENDED
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1015970
Grant No.
2018-70025-28155
Project No.
MICW-2018-01993
Proposal No.
2018-01993
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
FLSP
Project Start Date
Jul 1, 2018
Project End Date
Jun 30, 2022
Grant Year
2018
Project Director
Hesterman, O. B.
Recipient Organization
FAIR FOOD NETWORK
350 ROCK CREEK DR
ANN ARBOR,MI 48104
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Fair Food Network's Double Up (Double Up) program works to solve pervasive food access problems in diverse communities across the country. Double Up is a proven successful SNAP incentive program that operates using a variety of technologically advanced systems in more than 575 retail locations across 23 states, including grocery stores in 13 states. In 2016 alone, Double Up resulted in $4.4 million in SNAP plus incentive sales to low-income families and benefitted 3,380 farmers.The FINI Large Scale Project will expand and further Double Up to serve 52 new communities across five states. Fair Food Network (FFN) proposes implementing innovative, technologically advanced SNAP incentive systems in grocery stores--often the only fresh produce retailers in their towns--in Alabama, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Texas. In each state, FFN is collaborating with a champion--a core partner ready to implement all aspects of the Double Up program in multiple locations. In locations where SNAP incentives do not yet have a foothold, we are working to initiate and/or strengthen Double Up in farmers markets. The specific technologies we propose to implement will vary according to existing technology at participating sites.The needs to be addressed in these communities are rooted in entrenched healthy food access problems. FFN believes that solving these problems for the majority of SNAP recipients requires grocery store participation; thus, the evaluation of the activities of the project will inform the development of a national model for efficiently and effectively implementing grocery store-based SNAP incentive programs. Specifically, we will:Implement technologically advanced incentive systems in 34 grocery stores in five states,Initiate a SNAP incentive program via a mobile market serving six communities in Alabama,Participate in groundbreaking online SNAP + incentive ordering and delivery systems in Alabama and New Jersey,Build local food supply chains for participating locations,Activate community outreach partnerships with SNAP-Ed and food banks in all five states to expand awareness and reach of the Double Up program, andInitiate the program in farmers markets in areas where it does not yet operate robustly in 17 Alabama and Texas communities, 10 of which are located in StrikeForce CommunitiesFFN initiated Double Up in Michigan in 2009. It has since grown to be one of the leading SNAP incentive programs in the nation. The organization's history in expanding and innovating within Double Up has laid the groundwork for this ambitious but achievable project aimed at rural and urban communities in Alabama, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Texas. We have selected these states as our targets for this project due to the strong working relationships we have cultivated with leaders in each.FFN manages the Double Up program centrally. Our staff is experienced in assisting partnering organizations in diverse locations to carry out all aspects of the program successfully. Lead partners in each state will work closely with Double Up staff to ensure proper program implementation. These lead partners will, in turn, work with local supporting partners to assist with program functions. In some cases, paid or volunteer workers from within the low-income community will help plan, implement, and evaluate the program. In fact, to ensure the involvement of low-income individuals, FFN and lead partners are already working with direct service providers such as food banks, senior centers, and health care facilities in target communities to identify SNAP recipients who can aid in community outreach, in-store education, and on "field trips" to participating locations.Our overarching project goal is to test and evaluate methods designed to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by low-income consumers participating in SNAP by providing incentives at point of purchase using effective, efficient, and innovative benefit redemption technologies.Intended outcomes of the Double Up program thus far are clear: in 2016 alone, Double Up resulted in $4.4+ million in SNAP plus Double Up sales to low-income families and 3,380 farmers across the country. Over the next three years, the project intends to extend the impact of the program to nearly a million (948,000) more low-income people across 52 communities in five states. No matter where SNAP customers earn their Double Up incentive dollars, their purchases result in a win/win/win outcome: SNAP shoppers brings home more healthy food, area farmers gain new customers and make more money, and more food dollars stay in the local economy.To ensure that local farmers continue to benefit from the Double Up program as it becomes more established in grocery stores, we intend to create innovative partnerships between local farmers and wholesale grocery produce suppliers in Massachusetts (Red Tomato and the Associated Grocers of New England), New Jersey (Wakefern Food Corporation), and Texas (Lowe's Warehouse). These produce distributors are committed to bringing local produce to participating stores to serve the needs of Double Up program participants.FFN's commitment to expand programming in grocery stores grows from a strong belief that these stores represent a major area of growth and innovation for SNAP incentive programs. Due to this, we want to create intentional opportunities for those implementing them to learn from one another; for this reason, we also intend to initiate the first multi-state grocery store SNAP incentive program Community of Practice (COP). This COP will speed learning and could set the stage for rapid scaling of the Double Up program across the country. The COP will also create opportunities to perform new grocery store-based program evaluation.The project will allow FFN to expand and innovate within the Double Up Program. Double Up has tested numerous innovative and promising SNAP incentive systems. It consistently pushes the technology envelope: low-tech token and voucher systems are being replaced by high-tech systems that utilize grocery store loyalty cards, "Double Up E-incentive Cards," and other electronic systems. It has been proven successful in replication and scaling to diverse communities across the country, including in StrikeForce Communities. Since its inception in the state of Michigan in 2009, it has expanded to serve 23 states across the country. Indeed, it has scaled from one type of retail location (farmers markets) to operate across many types of retail outlets (e.g., corner stores, independent grocery stores, chain supermarkets, farm stands, and mobile markets). It uses direct-to-consumer sales marketing that connects low-income consumers directly with agricultural producers who provide them with locally and regionally produced fruits and vegetables in many cases.FFN's broad and deep experience with SNAP incentive systems allows us to see where further positive change is possible. The purpose of the Double Up Program--to fight hunger by increasing fruit and vegetable purchases for SNAP users--will always remain the same. But at FFN we are always striving to do it better. Our ultimate goal is to position the program to scale to any community in the country--rural or urban--in an efficient, effective manner. Our proven ability to cultivate relationships with local partners to implement the program in diverse urban and rural locations provides further evidence of our ability to serve the nation as a whole.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
70350101010100%
Knowledge Area
703 - Nutrition Education and Behavior;

Subject Of Investigation
5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;
Goals / Objectives
Our overarching project goal is to test and evaluate methods designed to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by low-income consumers participating in SNAP by providing incentives at point of purchase using effective, efficient, and innovative benefit redemption technologies.Intended outcomes of the Double Up program thus far are clear: in 2016 alone, Double Up resulted in $4.4+ million in SNAP plus Double Up sales to low-income families and 3,380 farmers across the country. Over the next three years, the proposed project intends to extend the impact of the program to nearly a million (948,000) more low-income people across 52 communities in five states. No matter where SNAP customers earn their Double Up incentive dollars, their purchases result in a win/win/win outcome: SNAP shoppers brings home more healthy food, area farmers gain new customers and make more money, and more food dollars stay in the local economy.To ensure that local farmers continue to benefit from the Double Up program as it becomes more established in grocery stores, we intend to create innovative partnerships between local farmers and wholesale grocery produce suppliers in Massachusetts (Red Tomato and the Associated Grocers of New England), New Jersey (Wakefern Food Corporation), and Texas (Lowe's Warehouse). These produce distributors are committed to bringing local produce to participating stores to serve the needs of Double Up program participants.FFN's commitment to expand programming in grocery stores grows from a strong belief that these stores represent a major area of growth and innovation for SNAP incentive programs. Due to this, we want to create intentional opportunities for those implementing them to learn from one another; for this reason, we also intend to initiate the first multi-state grocery store SNAP incentive program Community of Practice (COP). This COP will speed learning and could set the stage for rapid scaling of the Double Up program across the country. The COP will also create opportunities to perform new grocery store-based program evaluation.
Project Methods
The proposed project goals and intended outcomes will be achieved via the activities laid out in the three-year timeline presented below.OBJECTIVE 1948,000 SNAP users in 52 AL, MA, NH, NJ, and TX communities realize increased access to fresh, healthy, affordable produce, much of it grown in their own state, resulting in an estimated 300,000 purchases of fresh produce and $3+ million in SNAP plus incentive sales.MILESTONESImplement advanced incentive systems in 34 grocery stores in five statesInitiate a SNAP incentive program via a mobile market serving six communities in AlabamaParticipate in groundbreaking online SNAP + incentive ordering and delivery systems in Alabama and New JerseyActivate community outreach partnerships with SNAP-Ed and food banks in all five states to expand awareness and reach of the programStart and further farmers market-based SNAP incentive programs in 17 Alabama and Texas communities, some of which are located in ten StrikeForce CountiesACTIVITIESTIMELINEPre-season planning meeting with partners in each stateMarch, annuallyHost webinars and in-person trainings for incoming and new implementing sitesApril, annuallyDesign and distribute promotional materials electronically for local printingApril, annuallyProgram season formally begins at most grocers and markets (regional variation), further staff training and direct marketing to SNAP participants via partners. Alabama online SNAP pilot commences.June, annuallySites track and report SNAP and incentive transactions monthlyOngoingPerform site visits to survey SNAP customers and market and store staff (25% of farmers markets/50% of grocery stores).September, annually1:1 technical assistance to program operatorsOngoingPost-season planning meetings with partners in each state.December, annuallyKick off online SNAP + incentive ordering and delivery system pilot(s) after USDA FNS retailer pilot program beginsLate 2018Analyze quantitative and qualitative evaluative material provided to FFNJanuary, annuallyAnnual report on project outcomes publishedFebruary, annuallyNew Jersey online SNAP pilot commences.June 2019OBJECTIVE 2Develop new value chain partnerships between participating grocery stores and local food distributors like food hubs and farmers market collaboratives in all five participating states in order to increase SNAP purchases of local produce.MILESTONESEstablish relationships between local produce distributors and participating grocers in each state and identify barriers to getting more local produce into their storesEstablish means for overcoming barriers in each individual relationship, involving local farmers as appropriateCommunicate about this objective with key audiences, outlining best practices and providing recommendations for the futureACTIVITIESTIMELINESet meetings to identify potential partnerships and major barriers, Red Tomato acting as a strategic national partnerApril, 2018Collect baseline transaction and qualitative data on local produce purchasing by grocersOngoingRed Tomato creates a strategic plan to act on potential partnerships and address major barriers, with short, medium, and long-term objectivesOctober, 2018Implement action plan for short-term objectivesApril, 2019Implement action plan for medium-term objectivesAugust, 2019Implement action plan for long-term objectivesApril, 2020Create final reportFebruary 2021OBJECTIVE 3Create the first national grocery store operator Community of Practice, which will allow grocery store SNAP incentive program practitioners from over 25 states to learn from each other's experiences with diverse technology and aggregation/distribution modelsMILESTONESHold a meeting including all grocery store operators to discuss the overarching goals of the Double Up Food Bucks program and the importance of grocery stores in reaching the vision of helping low-income families eat more fruits and vegetables while supporting American farmers and growing local economiesTeach the grocers about what a Community of Practice (COP) is and does, and set goals with them designed to make this COP impactfulCommunicate about this objective with key audiences, outlining best practices and providing recommendations for the futureACTIVITIESTIMELINESet initial call with grocery store operatorsApril, 2018Host quarterly calls with grocery store operatorsOngoing, quarterlyCollect and share de-identified data with COP to improve program qualityOngoingCreate final report on COPFebruary 2021Technology SummaryThe proposed project will develop effective and efficient technologies for benefit redemption systems that may be replicated and scaled in other states and communities in the future. Specifically, participating retailers will upgrade their POS to enable Double Up incentives to function.EvaluationDouble Up program staff take evaluation seriously. We continually use evaluation results to understand our impact and to drive programmatic improvements both in terms of process and outcome. Our evaluation results to date indicate program impact on three levels:By improving access to healthy, affordable food, increasing purchasing power for and consumption of nutritious fruits and vegetables, integrating federal nutrition and education programs, and supporting dietary improvements, Double Up helps families thrive.By increasing farmer sales and profits, providing a gateway for beginning farmers, offering new direct and wholesale marketing opportunities, and stimulating farm expansion in both acreage and crop diversity, Double Up gives farmers a multi-faceted financial boost.By stimulating local economies, demonstrating how public nutrition assistance programs can address hunger, health, develop of local food systems, and link rural and urban communities, Double Up helps local communities increase resiliency.1. PROCESS/OUTCOME EVALUATION INTERNAL DATAResults will be reported via a custom online portal from all participating retail sites regularly throughout program season.Reports from participating sites aggregated and analyzed monthlyTelephone Double Up hotline traffic logged and analyzed bi-monthlyDocumentation of program material disseminationDocumentation of partner trainingsWebsite analytics and user survey analysis results analyzed bi-monthly.2. PROCESS/OUTCOME EVALUATION EXTERNAL DATAIn-house evaluation team will partner with states to collect survey and focus group data from program participants, including farmers market consumers, grocery store consumers, market managers, and grocery store owners. Data will be collected at least once per program season at selected sites, using in-person and paper self-administered intercept surveys.3. ONLINE SNAP + INCENTIVE ORDERING/DELIVERY PILOTA qualitative assessment based on interviews with pilot program operators and a subset of program users.4. SNAP + INCENTIVE GROCERY STORE VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENTA qualitative assessment based on interviews with at least one local produce supplier and a subset of participating grocery store program operators in each state5. GROCERY STORE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICEA qualitative assessment based on interviews with a subset of participating grocery store program operators

Progress 07/01/18 to 02/28/22

Outputs
Target Audience:Double Up helps to decrease hunger and increase access to healthy food for our target audience of low-income families who receive SNAP food assistance benefits. Currently, Double Up is operating in more than 900 sites across 30 states, including 45 grocery stores and 10 markets in Alabama, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Texas for this specific project. In our target communities we estimate we have 7,348 unique users in Alabama; 20,000 unique users in Massachusetts; 13,368 unique users in New Hampshire; 24,063 unique users in New Jersey; and 23,100 unique users in Texas participating in Double Up. In Alabama, the target group is SNAP users in 5 communities in Alabama: Bessemer, Birmingham, Huntsville, Opelika, and Tuscaloosa. Providers included 8 farmers markets and 2 brick-and-mortar independent grocery stores. In 2019, 15 percent of the state population (727,000 individuals) received SNAP benefits, higher than the national average. Almost 72 percent of SNAP participants in Alabama are families with children -- 6 percentage points higher than the national average. Thirty-eight percent of SNAP recipients in Alabama are families with members who are elderly or have disabilities -- 2 percentage points higher than the national average. The average monthly SNAP benefit per each household member is $129, or just $1.29/person/meal. Nearly 14 percent of Alabama households were "food insecure" or struggled to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. That figure is almost equal to the percentage of the state's population that lives below the poverty level. The need for food assistance in Alabama is considerable. In Massachusetts, participants are city of Boston residents, primarily located in the Roxbury, Dorchester, East Boston, and Mattapan neighborhoods. Statewide, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, 11 percent of the state population (760,000 individuals) receives SNAP benefits each month and there is a 92 percent participation rate of all eligible SNAP recipients. Specifically, 54.4 percent of all households receiving SNAP in Massachusetts's 7th Congressional district, of which Boston is part, are living below the poverty level, with 40.3 percent of all households receiving SNAP benefits having one or more persons 60 years or older. Additionally, 37.2 percent of all households receiving SNAP benefits in the 7th Congressional district in Boston have children 18 years or younger. In Massachusetts, and especially within the Boston area, it is evident that the need for SNAP and programs like Double Up still exists. In New Hampshire, participants live throughout the state, primarily in rural settings. Double Up's footprint reaches all New Hampshire counties. Statewide, according to the Unites States Department of Agriculture, 6 percent of the state population (76,000 individuals) receive SNAP benefits each month, with a 76 percent participation rate of all eligible SNAP recipients. More than 64 percent of SNAP participants are in families with children, and 51 percent are in families with members who are elderly or have disabilities -- 15 percentage points higher than the national average. Approximately 6.6 percent of New Hampshire households were food insecure in 2019. In New Jersey, the target group is SNAP users in four New Jersey communities where the Double Up program operates: East Orange, Hillside, Kearny, and Newark. County data offers the best source of information on the reach of the program. For the counties where stores are located, recent data shows the percentage of households receiving SNAP benefits ranges from 7.9 percent in Union County to 14.6 percent and 15 percent in Essex and Hudson, respectively. Statewide, we know that more than 64 percent of all SNAP recipients in New Jersey are in families with children, almost 47 percent are in families with members who are elderly or have disabilities, and almost 44 percent of all SNAP recipients are in working families. We also know that 7.7 percent of all households in New Jersey were food insecure, or struggled to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. Our goal as we continue our work in the four communities we serve is to continue to raise awareness about Double Up, with hope of encouraging eligible SNAP individuals and families to utilize Double Up to increase access to healthy food. In Texas, the target population is SNAP users in 11 different counties where the Double Up program operates: Castro, Hale, Harris, Lamb, Lubbock, McLennan, Potter, Tarrant, Terry, Travis, and Williamson. The communities within these counties are Amarillo, Brownfield, Dimmit, Littlefield, Lubbock, Tulia, and Wolfforth. Recent data shows that 12 percent of the state population (3,405,000 Texans) received SNAP benefits in 2019. Almost 79 percent of SNAP recipients in Texas are in families with children -- 13 percentage points higher than the national average. Racial/ethnic characteristics of SNAP households vary across districts, and more than 51 percent of all SNAP recipients are working families. Nearly 1 in 8 Texans, or 13.1 percent of the state population, is food insecure, or struggling to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. We continue to expand our efforts through grocery stores, farmers markets, farm stands, and pop-up markets. By extending our reach, we encourage SNAP-eligible individuals and families to utilize Double Up Food Bucks to reduce nutrition cost while simultaneously increasing access to healthier food options. Changes/Problems:Alabama: COVID-19 impacted the Alabama sites' ability to operate in 2020 and 2021. Some sites closed during 2020, and several farmers markets either did not open for the 2020 season at all or converted to an online ordering system that did not accept SNAP. To partially compensate for the loss of these services, CFBCA identified a high-need area in Jefferson County and partnered with a local, family-owned grocery store to offer Double Up to their customers, nearly half of whom receive SNAP benefits. (To protect customers from COVID-19 exposure, the store required customers to wear masks, implemented a single lane system, and erected plexiglass barriers at each register.) We were able to maintain our relationship with 4th Avenue Supermarket and assist 4 sites in returning for the spring market in 2021. We anticipate that all 8 markets that have participated in the program will return for the spring market in 2022. Massachusetts: The greatest challenge for Double Up Boston initially was locating additional corner stores that have the staff and resources to successfully execute the program. Some stores that have attempted to participate have not been successful and discontinued the program. The right fit requires a store manager who is deeply interested in seeing the program succeed and who can create a culture in their store that encourages produce purchases. Following several attempts to add new stores, Double Up Boston staff learned a great deal about the type of commitment and infrastructure required in order to onboard a new store, and these learnings were crucial to improving the onboarding process for new stores as the project progressed. Safety concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic limited face-to-face store visits and data collection by evaluators, as well as onboarding of new stores, for a significant period during the project. However, these visits and evaluation processes were able to restart during various periods when the COVID-19 positive testing rates decreased, and despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, we were able to onboard nine new stores in the final year of the project once Massachusetts guidelines permitted more in-person contact. New Hampshire: No major changes were required of the New Hampshire program since launch. As a result of the pandemic, however, some outreach activities, such as in-person store visits and in-person meetings with local DHHS offices, were suspended until local guidelines deemed them safe to resume. As such, outreach and support shifted to digital communications and phone calls. In response to changes caused by the COVID-19 crisis, Double Up Food Bucks sites were listed on the UNH Cooperative Extension Food Access map, a tool created for those seeking food assistance or education during the pandemic: https://extension.unh.edu/resource/new-hampshire-food-access-map [see "Nutrition Assistance" tab]. New Jersey: Our initial plan to institute an innovative online SNAP and incentive ordering and delivery system at New Jersey Double Up locations was partially accomplished. Participating ShopRite locations in New Jersey are licensed to accept SNAP for online ordering, but at this time, SNAP shoppers may not earn Double Up Food Bucks coupons when online shopping because the Catalina coupon system has not yet synced up with the online ordering system. However, when a shopper earns a Double Up coupon in store and selects the pick-up option (rather than delivery) when ordering online, the shopper may redeem the Double Up coupon. Wakefern Food Corporation is continually refining the technology in order to make all coupons accessible to all shoppers, online and in store. Texas: Turnover was a consistent challenge in the initial rollout of Double Up in Texas, both at the retail and corporate level. In 2019, the main champion of the South Plains Double Up program at our local implementation partner, Texas Hunger Initiative (THI), left his role. Lacking his leadership, THI struggled to operate the program without managerial support and direction, and this impacted operations at farmers markets. Eventually THI hired a new Regional Director and this person spearheaded a search for a new Program Coordinator who had more capacity to devote to the program. Fair Food Network responded by working directly with the new Program Coordinator to provide high-touch technical assistance and support to address any remaining challenges that resulted from the turnover at THI. Additionally, COVID-19 posed challenges, especially in program outreach. At the height of the pandemic in Texas, the Program Coordinator was not able to host or attend community events; instead, she focused on increasing digital promotions of the program. Thankfully, participating grocery stores were able to continue to operate the program in the face of increased demand due to COVID-19. This was facilitated through efficient technology and strong support from store leadership. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Alabama: CFBCA's Double Up Program Coordinator routinely participates in the national technical assistance and training provided by Fair Food Network that connects Double Up programs across the nation. She is also a regular attendee at the annual convening for the Nutrition Incentive Hub, which disseminates best practices for Double Up Food Bucks implementation and deepens participants' understanding of technical issues. Fair Food Network provided training to market managers and routinely made site visits and held farmers market manager meetings that provided the opportunity to debrief on the previous season, share best practices, review program requirements, and problem solve any anticipated issues for the upcoming season. At the end of this grant period, The Hunger Solutions Institute at Auburn University took on the role as new program administrator. Massachusetts: Store managers and cashiers received one-on-one training as part of Double Up Boston. Accompanying training materials were provided to stores in multiple languages and Double Up Boston teams conducted regular check-ins. Enumerator training was provided to those individuals involved in the delivery of Double Up surveys with Tufts University. The Boston Program Manager regularly attended the annual convening of the Nutrition Incentive Hub and has participated in professional development webinars offered by the Hub as well as regular, one-on-one assistance with Fair Food Network staff members. New Hampshire: Store managers and cashiers were given training material templates and Double Up FAQs for use in in-store training and were provided regular training and marketing support. The New Hampshire Program Manager regularly attended the Nutrition Incentive Hub annual convening and presented at the 2019 convening, sharing information about SNAP incentive technology based on the Double Up experience in New Hampshire. Over the duration of this grant, Fair Food Network staff has worked to build the administrative, fundraising, and marketing capacity of New Hampshire Food Bank, which administers Granite State Market Match, the SNAP incentives program at farmers markets throughout the state. Fair Food Network also worked closely with UNH Cooperative Extension educators to develop nutrition education materials and resources that align with the SNAP incentive model. New Jersey: Fair Food Network worked closely with Wakefern Food Corporation to create and distribute a regularly updated set of training materials for cashiers and managers specific to Double Up. Fair Food Network also provided in-store training updates and technical assistance on an as-needed basis (with regular visits monthly). Throughout the duration of the grant, Fair Food Network worked directly with City Green, a New Jersey based organization that administers SNAP incentives at farmers markets statewide. Fair Food Network provided training to City Green staff to prepare the organization for its role as administrator of SNAP incentives at grocery stores. As part of the capacity building, Fair Food Network worked closely with City Green on fundraising efforts. Texas: Fair Food Network has continued to support the Double Up Program Coordinator based in Lubbock. The Program Coordinator trained farmers market managers to implement the program more effectively by providing support around point-of-sale technology as well as outreach and promotions. The Program Coordinator met regularly with our Director of Technical Assistance and Innovation to learn about the program, troubleshoot challenges, and identify strategies and opportunities to ensure long-term program sustainability. Additionally, Fair Food Network has connected the Program Coordinator to staff at the Sustainable Food Center (SFC), which transitioned to program administrator at the end of this grant period. SFC meets regularly with the Double Up Program Coordinator and they have worked jointly on fundraising proposals for the continuation of the program. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The annual Double Up Food Bucks report contains findings from Double Up programs across the US that we share with practitioners, partners, and other interested stakeholders. In addition, we work with local partners to disseminate updated results to various communities of interest. Alabama: The work and impact of Double Up Food Bucks were disseminated through quarterly presentations to the Bold Goals Coalition, a collaboration of over 200 organizations that follow a collective impact model to improve health outcomes in Central Alabama. We also shared information on current sites and the success of the program through our work with the Auburn Hunger Solutions Institute. Jimmy Wright of Wright's Market has presented his online SNAP incentive model at various webinars targeting key stakeholders, including retail members of the National Grocers Association and GusNIP grantees through the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Hub. Massachusetts: In the summer of 2019, The Mayor's Office of Food Access published a graphic summarizing the results of the first two years of Double Up Food Bucks Boston. This graphic is published on the Double Up Food Bucks Boston website and was shared through social media channels. The Mayor's Office of Food Access worked closely with Tufts University on a program evaluation that was published in January 2021. New Hampshire: The Program Manager offered two workshops on SNAP incentives to colleagues in the food systems field at the New Hampshire Food Alliance Statewide Gathering in early 2020. The Program manager is an active participant in the meetings of both the New Hampshire Food Alliance's Food Access Coalition and the Neighboring Food Co-op Association Healthy Food Access calls, where she reports on Double Up progress in New Hampshire and in New England. The Program Manager also wrote and published a brief about the response of small farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Jersey: Fair Food Network has conducted presentations to Community Food Bank of New Jersey and the MEND Food Pantry Network, among others, sharing information about SNAP incentives with local stakeholders. Texas: Information has been disseminated locally through partnering agencies, such as the Sustainable Food Center, South Plains Hunger Solutions Coalition, South Plains Food Bank, Potter County Extension Services, Castro/Swisher County Community Coalition, Lamb County Health and Safety Coalition, and Hale County Resource Networking. Fair Food Network has also supported Texas Health and Human Services Commission SNAP Study Workgroup in their requests for information on Double Up Texas program impact. On a broader level, program staff are actively engaged in the Texas Convening for Food Incentive Programs, which held its first annual meeting in January 2019. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Alabama: Double Up Food Bucks in Alabama is administered by Fair Food Network's partner, the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama (CFBCA). The CFBCA partnered with 4 farmers markets and 2 grocery stores in Alabama. From July 2018 to September 2021, SNAP shoppers at all participating stores earned a total of $1,236,710 in Double Up coupons and spent $230,393 worth on additional fruits and vegetables, serving an estimated 118,000 Alabamians over the duration of the grant. Alabama is home to the first online SNAP incentive program that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly to people's homes. In April 2020, Wright's Market, a brick-and-mortar grocery store in Opelika, launched this groundbreaking model, addressing major barriers of transportation and accessibility that were exacerbated during the pandemic. Program participants earned and spent more than $1 million dollars in SNAP and Double Up at Wright's Market since the inauguration of the online SNAP incentive program, bringing much needed assistance to a rural area with a poverty rate greater than 23 percent. Massachusetts: Double Up Boston has been operating continuously since August 2018 and is administered by the Mayor's Office of Food Access (OFA), with Fair Food Network providing technical assistance and program oversight. Currently, there are 13 participating stores, the majority of which were added to the program in the fall of 2020. These stores are located in the Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, and East Boston neighborhoods and are primarily small, independently owned ethnic grocers focused on providing culturally relevant foods to the populations they serve. From July 2018 to September 2021, SNAP Shoppers in Boston spent $623,980 in SNAP and Double Up incentives over a total of 153,918 transactions. Because Boston utilizes an automatic redemption model, earning and spending numbers are identical. In efforts to build local food supply chains for participating locations, OFA participated in dialogues on how to increase local produce sourcing as a long-term strategy and facilitated the sourcing of hyper-local produce by participating grocers via The Food Project, an urban farming initiative located in Boston. The OFA also worked with Tufts University to develop a deep evaluation of the program (see below). New Hampshire: Double Up NH has been operating continuously in independently owned rural grocery stores in New Hampshire since July 2018. From launch of the program through September 2021, shoppers spent $358,046 in SNAP and Double Up on fresh fruits and vegetables through 162,925 unique transactions. With the onboarding of four new retail outlets in 2021, Double Up is now implemented in 20 independent grocery stores and has a presence in all six New Hampshire counties. This expansion of the program over the course of this grant was achieved while strategically promoting Double Up statewide and forming deeper relationships with our community outreach partners. Double Up locations in New Hampshire are required to source a minimum percentage of their produce locally and Fair Food Network and its local partners worked with local distributors to enhance coordination between farmers and Double Up implementing locations. Fair Food Network also worked closely with UNH Cooperative Extension to develop a "virtual store tour," a one-on-one online nutrition education offering for SNAP participants. As a result of cross-state collaboration between food access partners, the New Hampshire legislature passed bill SB98 at the end of June 2021, incorporating funds for nutrition incentives into the state's two-year budget. Administration of the program formally transitioned to New Hampshire Food Bank in September 2021. New Jersey: Double Up Food Bucks has been operating in four ShopRite grocery stores in the Newark area continuously since July 2018. At check-out, SNAP shoppers paying with their EBT card receive a coupon matching their amount spent on fresh fruits and vegetables, up to $10 per day. From July 2018 through September 2021, SNAP shoppers at all participating stores earned a total of $2,719,323 in Double Up coupons and spent $661,259 worth on additional fruits and vegetables. This represents a 24 percent redemption rate and consists of 777,407 individual Double Up transactions (earning + spending). Since program launch, we have continuously reached out to families to encourage use of the program at stores while providing hands-on support to store management as well as corporate leadership to improve program efficiency and effectiveness. In addition to providing technical assistance, marketing assistance, and cashier training to participating stores, much was accomplished in coordination with our many local partners. Working closely with Catalina and Wakefern Food Corporation, Fair Food Network resolved challenges in point-of-sale technology. ShopRite reported on local produce purchasing and purchases made through hyperlocal farms and promoted their inventory of local produce to SNAP shoppers, with Fair Food Network supplying marketing resources for these efforts. Fair Food Network has also partnered with MEND, a network of over 20 food pantries in New Jersey that deepened its promotion of Double Up at a grassroots level. Finally, efforts in New Jersey have focused on building stronger ties with City Green, the local organization that transitioned to program administrator in fall 2021. Texas. Double Up is currently operating in 6 farmers markets and 6 grocery stores across 7 communities in Texas. In total, SNAP shoppers earned $1,159,863 and spent $494,876 in incentives between July 2018 and September 2021, serving an estimated 132,964 Texans over the course of the grant. Fair Food Network continuously worked with community partners to raise awareness about Double Up. Local staff made multiple site visits to the participating rural grocery stores; implemented new marketing, outreach, and social media strategies; and worked with store management to identify and implement best practices for reaching customers. In addition, the program expanded into United Supermarkets in 2020, accounting for a 96 percent increase in Double Up spending. Transactions at United Supermarkets are facilitated through the stores' loyalty app, offering a streamlined and robust technology mechanism to facilitate increased program participation. As a result of this growth in participation, United Supermarkets committed to providing match funding support for the continuation of the Double Up program at their stores and is eagerly looking to expand to additional stores. Fair Food Network's local partner, Sustainable Food Center, transitioned to program administrator in fall 2021.

Publications


    Progress 07/01/20 to 06/30/21

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Double Up helps to decrease hunger and increase access to healthy food for our target audience of low-income families who receive SNAP food assistance benefits. Currently, Double Up is operating in more than 900 sites across 30 states, including more than 31 communities in Alabama, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Texas for this specific project. In our target communities we estimate we have 7,348 unique users in Alabama; 20,000 unique users in Massachusetts; 13,368 unique users in New Hampshire; 24,063 unique users in New Jersey; and 23,100 unique users in Texas participating in Double Up. In Alabama, the target group is SNAP users in 13 communities in Alabama, including Bessemer, Tarrant, Pratt City, Oakman, downtown Huntsville, south Huntsville, east Birmingham, north Birmingham, downtown Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Holt, Northport, and Opelika. Providers include 8 farmers markets, one mobile grocery store, and one brick-and-mortar independent grocery store. In 2019, 15 percent of the state population (727,000 individuals) received SNAP benefits, higher than the national average. Almost 72 percent of SNAP participants in Alabama are families with children -- 6 percentage points higher than the national average. Thirty-eight percent of SNAP recipients in Alabama are families with members who are elderly or have disabilities -- 2 percentage points higher than the national average. The average monthly SNAP benefit per each household member is $129, or just $1.29/person/meal. Nearly 14 percent of Alabama households were "food insecure" or struggled to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. That figure is almost equal to the percentage of the state's population that lives below the poverty level. The need for food assistance in Alabama is considerable. In Massachusetts, participants are city of Boston residents, primarily located in the Roxbury, Dorchester, East Boston, and Mattapan neighborhoods. Statewide, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, 11 percent of the state population (760,000 individuals) receive SNAP benefits each month, and statewide, there is a 92 percent participation rate of all eligible SNAP recipients. Specifically, 54.4 percent of all households receiving SNAP in Massachusetts's 7th Congressional district, of which Boston is part, are living below the poverty level, with 40.3 percent of all households receiving SNAP benefits having one or more persons 60 years or older. Additionally, 37.2 percent of all households receiving SNAP benefits in the 7th Congressional district in Boston have children 18 years or younger. In Massachusetts, and especially within the Boston area, it is evident that the need for SNAP and programs like Double Up still exists. In New Hampshire, participants live throughout the state, primarily in rural settings. Double Up's footprint reaches all New Hampshire counties. Statewide, according to the Unites States Department of Agriculture, 6 percent of the state population (76,000 individuals) receive SNAP benefits each month, with a 76 percent participation rate of all eligible SNAP recipients. More than 64 percent of SNAP participants are in families with children, and 51 percent are in families with members who are elderly or have disabilities -- 15 percentage points higher than the national average. Approximately 6.6 percent of New Hampshire households were food insecure in 2019. In New Jersey, the target group is SNAP users in four New Jersey communities where the Double Up program operates: East Orange, Hillside, Kearny, and Newark. County data offers the best source of information on the reach of the program. For the counties where stores are located, recent data shows the percentage of households receiving SNAP benefits ranges from 7.9 percent in Union County to 14.6 percent and 15 percent in Essex and Hudson, respectively. Statewide, we know that more than 64 percent of all SNAP recipients in New Jersey are in families with children, almost 47 percent are in families with members who are elderly or have disabilities, and almost 44 percent of all SNAP recipients are in working families. We also know that 7.7 percent of all households in New Jersey were "food insecure," or struggled to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. Our goal as we continue our work in the four communities we serve is to continue to raise awareness about Double Up, with hope of encouraging eligible SNAP individuals and families to utilize Double Up to increase access to healthy food. In Texas, the target population is SNAP users in six different counties where the Double Up program operates: Dimmit, Hale, Lubbock, Lamb, Potter, and Swisher. The cities within these counties are Lubbock, Wolfforth, Plainview, Littlefield, Tulia, Dimmit, and Amarillo. Recent data shows that 12 percent of the state population (3,405,000 Texans) received SNAP benefits in 2019. Almost 79 percent of SNAP recipients in Texas are in families with children -- 13 percentage points higher than the national average. Racial/ethnic characteristics of SNAP households vary across districts, and more than 51 percent of all SNAP recipients are working families. Nearly 1 in 8 Texans, or 13.1 percent of the state population, is "food insecure," or struggling to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. We continue to expand our efforts through grocery stores, farmers markets, farm stands, and pop-up markets. By extending our reach, we encourage SNAP-eligible individuals and families to utilize Double Up Food Bucks to reduce nutrition cost while simultaneously increasing access to healthier food options. Changes/Problems:This reporting period, COVID-19 has continued to impact communities targeted by this program, making Double Up more necessary than ever, not only as part of our collective emergency response, but also for longer-term repair and recovery. Alabama: COVID-19 impacted the sites' ability to operate for several months. Some sites closed during 2020, but we were able to maintain the relationship with 4th Avenue Supermarket and assist 4 sites in returning for the spring market in 2021. We anticipate these sites will continue to operate for the remainder of this year. We anticipate that all 8 markets that have participated in the program will return for the spring market in 2022. Additionally, CFBAL experienced some staff turnover, which slowed the transition between program coordinators. Massachusetts: Safety concerns due to the pandemic continued to limit face-to-face store visits and data collection by evaluators. However, these visits and evaluation processes were able to restart during various periods when the COVID-19 positive testing rates had decreased. Also during this time, a part- time program assistant was brought onto the team but left after only a few months to pursue another opportunity. Despite these challenges, nine new stores were onboarded during the last year and continue to thrive. New Hampshire: No major changes have occurred in NH during this reporting period. New Jersey: No major changes have occurred in NJ during this reporting period. Texas: No major changes have occurred in TX during this reporting period. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Alabama: CFBCA's Double Up Program Coordinator routinely participates in the national technical assistance and training provided by Fair Food Network that connects Double Up programs across the nation. The Double Up program allowed farmers to grow their revenue and diversify their customer base. Massachusetts: Store managers and cashiers receive one-on-one training as part of Double Up Boston. Accompanying training materials are provided to stores in multiple languages and Double Up Boston teams conduct regular check-ins. Enumerator training has been provided to those individuals involved in the delivery of Double Up surveys with Tufts University. The Boston Program Manager has participated in professional development webinars offered by the Nutrition Incentive Hub and is offered regular, one-on-one assistance with Fair Food Network staff members. New Hampshire: Store managers and cashiers are provided with training material templates and Double Up FAQs for use in in-store training. Additionally, training and marketing support is provided on a regular basis. Fair Food Network staff is working to build the administrative, fundraising and marketing capacity of NH Food Bank, which administers Granite State Market Match, the SNAP incentives program at farmers markets throughout the state. New Jersey: Fair Food Network worked closely with Wakefern Food Corporation to create and distribute an updated set of training materials for cashiers and managers specific to Double Up. Fair Food Network also provides in-store training updates and technical assistance on an as-needed basis (with regular visits monthly). Fair Food Network is also working directly with City Green, a New Jersey based organization that administers SNAP incentives at farmers markets statewide. Fair Food Network is providing training to City Green staff to prepare the organization to take on future administration of SNAP incentives at grocery stores. As part of the capacity building, Fair Food Network is working closely with City Green on fundraising efforts. Texas: Fair Food Network has continued to support the Double Up Program Coordinator based in Lubbock. Each week the Program Coordinator meets with our Director of Technical Assistance and Innovation to learn about the program, troubleshoot challenges, and identify strategies and opportunities to ensure long-term program sustainability. These weekly sessions provide an opportunity for professional development for the Program Coordinator. Additionally, Fair Food Network has connected the Program Coordinator to staff at the Sustainable Food Center (SFC) who will continue to support the program after this grant period ends. SFC meets regularly with the Double Up Program Coordinator and they have worked jointly on fundraising proposals for the continuation of the program. The Program Coordinator has also been training farmers market managers to implement the program more effectively, including by providing support around point-of-sale technology as well as outreach and promotions. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We are always seeking opportunities to share our experiences, to exchange information with national practitioners, and to disseminate lessons learned, including through our work in leading Technical Assistance and Innovation through the GusNIP NTAE's Nutrition Incentive Hub. We are continually working to strengthen relationships with all our collaborators and to maintain open lines of communication with incentive practitioners to ensure that we are responsive in meeting the current and emerging needs of programs nationwide. This work includes one-on-one technical assistance, case studies, regular webinars for practitioners, and regional and national convenings informed by our on-the-ground experience, as outlined above, in NH, NJ, TX, MA and AL. Speaking engagements and media outreach are other avenues by which program innovations and impact are shared. Key national media coverage that highlighted Double Up Food Bucks and other incentive programs over the last year included the following: A push to support 'Double Up Food Bucks' in next round of aid. // July 10, 2020. Politico. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-agriculture/2020/07/10/a-push-to-support-double-up-food-bucks-in-next-round-of-aid-789085 While food supply chains snap, a solution is on the table. // May 20, 2020. The Hill's Changing America. https://thehill.com/changing-america/opinion/498727-while-food-supply-chains-snap-a-solution-is-on-the-table Farmers markets provide healthy food and support local economies. Keep them open during Covid-19 lockdowns. // April 18, 2020. STAT+. https://www.statnews.com/2020/04/18/modify-farmers-markets-but-keep-them-open-covid-19-lockdowns/ What more states allowing SNAP recipients to buy food online means for food security // April 14, 2020. Civil Eats. https://civileats.com/2020/04/13/what-more-states-allowing-snap-recipients-to-buy-food-online-means-for-food-security/ Farmers markets are vital during COVID-19, but they need more support. // April 8, 2020. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/04/08/farmers-markets-are-vital-during-covid-19-but-they-need-more-support/ Evaluating a USDA program that gives SNAP participants financial incentives to buy fresh produce in supermarkets // November 2019. Health Affairs. https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00431 Price incentives boost SNAP produce purchases // Nov. 7, 2019. Politico. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-agriculture/2019/11/07/price-incentives-boost-snap-produce-purchases-782139 Alabama: Working with the Auburn Hunger Solutions Institute, we shared information on the current sites and success of the program. Also, previous coordinators have shared updates and sparked interest in the program by educating attendees at community meetings. Results have also been shared through the mobile grocery store, the Corner Market, when it was in operation. The Corner Market allowed us to disseminate information to patrons about Double Up and other methods of stretching their SNAP dollars. Jimmy Wright of Wright's Market has presented his online SNAP incentive model at various webinars targeting key stakeholders, including retail members of the National Grocers Association and GusNIP grantees through the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Hub. Massachusetts: The Mayor's Office of Food Access worked closely with Tufts University on a program evaluation, the results of which will be made public shortly. New Hampshire: The Program manager is an active participant in the meetings of both the New Hampshire Food Alliance's Food Access Coalition and the Neighboring Food Co-op Association Healthy Food Access calls, where she reports on Double Up progress in NH and in New England. Furthermore, the Program Manager wrote and published a brief about the response of small farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Jersey: In the community, FFN has conducted presentations to Community Food Bank of NJ as well as the MEND Food Pantry Network, among others, sharing information about SNAP incentives with local stakeholders. Texas: Information has been disseminated locally through partnering agencies, such as the Sustainable Food Center, South Plains Hunger Solutions Coalition, South Plains Food Bank, Potter County Extension Services, Castro/Swisher County Community Coalition, Lamb County Health and Safety Coalition, and Hale County Resource Networking. Further, the annual Double Up Food Bucks report disseminates findings from all Double Up programs, including the South Plains program. Fair Food Network has also supported Texas Health and Human Services Commission SNPA Study Workgroupin their requests for information on Double Up Texas program impact. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Fair Food Network has been honored to help launch and incubate Double Up in New Hampshire, Alabama, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Texas, and we are happy to report that these areas are now well-positioned to be locally managed. Our organization aims to support local implementation at a national scale, and Double Up is now primed to become an embedded and ongoing part of the local good food landscape in these areas, while maintaining connection to the national network of incentive practitioners through the GusNIP NTAE's Nutrition Incentive Hub. Alabama: For the duration of this project, the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama (CFBAL) has been the local organization implementing the Double Up program in Alabama. They have built tremendous capacity to implement and expand this program to additional farmers market and grocery partners. As Double Up continues to evolve, the management and implementation will be transitioned to Auburn University's Hunger Solutions Institute, which is well-placed to continue building on the success of CFBAL. Fair Food Network has supported the Hunger Solutions Institute in preparing for a FY21 GusNIP application and they are hopeful to continue growing the group. Dr. Alicia Powers, the prospective Project Director, has been an eager partner during this transition. The Hunger Solutions Institute contacted all current sites in the early stages of the transition to assess their needs and inform them of the potential shift in leadership of the program. The staff is always willing to offer help and support when needed. The Hunger Solutions Institute plans to maintain the current sites and slowly expand the program over time. Fair Food Network has a high degree of confidence that The Hunger Solutions Institute will successfully transition the program while continuing to grow strong relationships with farmers and local grocers. Massachusetts: The program manager recently conducted a day of site visits with staff from the Mayor's Office of Food Access (OFA) to discuss first-hand, potential improvements to technology, reporting, and program marketing. Fair Food Network staff also supported OFA directly with the preparation of its GusNIP application, which was submitted in spring 2021. As Fair Food Network transitions out of the lead role in Boston, staff is working closely with OFA to ensure that they are prepared to execute the program on their own. New Hampshire: Since January 2021, Fair Food Network has been in the process of training the local leadership of Granite State Market Match (GSMM), based at New Hampshire Food Bank, to take on administration of Double Up Food Bucks in NH. This in-depth training process included fundraising support, technological training, the development of a new and improved marketing strategy and suite of materials, as well as a week of site visits with the local program administrator to introduce him to store managers directly. In the coming months, we will close the loop on outstanding development goals and transfer store contracts while helping NH Food Bank with its financial projections as it charts ahead. GSMM leadership has eagerly taken on tasks and Fair Food Network staff will continue to support them throughout this transition period to ensure that Double Up Food Bucks NH continues to grow during this time of great need. During this past year, the state legislature in New Hampshire also passed a bill providing funding to nutrition incentives. Fair Food Network is helping to ensure that the funds are disseminated and that the visibility of this victory is enhanced through press attention and direct communication with the field of practitioners. New Jersey: Fair Food Network has provided intensive hands-on training to City Green staff and will continue to do so throughout the transition of program administration from Fair Food Network to City Green. This transition period includes site visits, technology assistance, contract transfers, and development and fundraising support. Fair Food Network staff directly supported City Green in submitting its GusNIP application in spring 2021. At present Fair Food Network is also working with City Green to identify and onboard additional local retailers to the program. Texas: In November 2020, Sustainable Food Center (SFC), a 2019 GusNIP grantee, received a Capacity Building and Innovation Fund award for $50,000 from Fair Food Network. Part of this funding was utilized to support the Double Up Program Coordinator in Lubbock, with the long-term goal of incorporating the West Texas program into the overall programming of Sustainable Food Center. SFC has provided ongoing support to the Program Coordinator with program implementation and troubleshooting, as well as coordinating efforts to identify additional sources of funding to continue the West Texas Double Up program beyond the lifecycle of this current grant. They successfully applied for and received funding from a private foundation in addition to a GusCRR award that will support the continuation and expansion of the West Texas program, among other things, for the next two years. Fair Food Network provided technical assistance support to SFC as they developed their proposal and assisted in facilitating conversations with United Supermarkets about the upcoming transition.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? Alabama: Double Up Food Bucks in Alabama is administered by Fair Food Network's partner, the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama (CFBCA). In the past year, the CFBCA partnered with 4 farmers markets and 1 grocery store to distribute $22,879 worth of produce in 3 Alabama counties, which translates to more than 14,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables provided to SNAP participants. In April 2020, Wright's Market, a brick-and-mortar grocery store in Opelika, launched the first online SNAP incentive program that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly to people's homes. This groundbreaking model addresses major barriers of transportation and accessibility that have been exacerbated during the pandemic. Wright's Market processed over 20,000 Double Up transactions, with program participants spending $438,261 in SNAP and Double Up since the inauguration of the online SNAP incentive program, bringing much needed assistance to a rural area with a poverty rate greater than 23 percent. Massachusetts: Double Up Boston is administered by the Mayor's Office of Food Access (OFA), with Fair Food Network providing technical assistance and program oversight. The Double Up Boston program has been operating continuously since August 2018. Currently, there are 12 participating stores, the majority of which were added to the program in the fall of 2020. These stores are located in the Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, and East Boston neighborhoods and are primarily small, independently owned ethnic grocers focused on providing culturally relevant foods to the populations they serve. The OFA worked with Tufts University to develop a deep evaluation of the program. The OFA also facilitated the sourcing of hyper-local produce by participating grocers via The Food Project, an urban farming initiative located in Boston. From July 2020-June 2021, SNAP Shoppers in Boston spent $527,630 in SNAP and Double Up incentives over a total of 59,436 transactions. Because Boston utilizes an automatic redemption model, earning and spending numbers are identical. New Hampshire: Double Up NH has been operating continuously in independently owned rural grocery stores since July 2018. There are 20 participating independent grocery stores throughout the state. During the past year, we have focused on onboarding four new retail outlets, ensuring a presence in all New Hampshire. This expansion was achieved while strategically promoting Double Up statewide and forming deeper relationships with community outreach partners such as UNH Cooperative Extension, New Futures, and Granite State Market Match. As a result of cross-state collaboration between food access partners, the New Hampshire legislature passed bill SB98 at the end of June 2021, incorporating funds for nutrition incentives into the state's two-year budget. Also this past year, local New Hampshire growers filled in important gaps in the supply chain during the pandemic. Local Growers as First Responders During COVID-19, published in April 2021 by Fair Food Network staff, outlines these efforts. From July 2020-June 2021, shoppers spent $332,729 in SNAP and Double Up on fresh fruits and vegetables through 65,664 unique transactions. Participating stores continually report the positive impacts of Double Up NH. In 2020, for example, 44 percent of SNAP transactions on average across the stores included fruits and vegetables. In 2021 so far, that number has increased to 55 percent. New Jersey: Double Up Food Bucks has been operating in four ShopRite grocery stores in the Newark area continuously since July 2018. Program usage has boomed, with an estimated 24,000 individuals spending Double Up Food Bucks coupons in this past year alone. From July 2020 through June 2021, SNAP shoppers at all participating stores earned a total of $1,378,589 in Double Up coupons and spent $299,470 worth on additional fruits and vegetables. This represents a 22 percent redemption rate and consists of 442,068 individual Double Up transactions (earning + spending). In addition to providing technical assistance, marketing assistance, and cashier training to participating stores throughout the year, efforts in New Jersey have focused on building stronger ties with City Green, the local organization that administers nutrition incentives at farmers markets throughout the state. Increasing local capacity was a high priority that has so far yielded positive results, with City Green set to transition to program administrator in fall 2021. Texas: During the reporting period, much progress was made to increase Double Up's presence in the South Plains region of Texas and to reach more SNAP users. Specifically, Double Up operated in 5 farmers markets and 4 grocery stores across 5 communities. In total, SNAP shoppers earned $504,025 and spent $307,231 in incentives between July 2020 and June 2021. Fair Food Network continued to work with community partners in Texas to raise awareness about Double Up, especially in preparation for the 2021 farmers market season. Local Double Up staff made multiple visits to participating sites and implemented new marketing, outreach, and social media strategies. In spring 2021, we continued to experience progress in reaching a much larger group of SNAP customers. The programs at both Lowe's Markets and United Supermarkets have continued to grow -- more than 86,000 Double Up transactions were processed between the two United Supermarket locations alone. As a result of this growth in participation, United Supermarkets has committed to providing match funding support for the continuation of the Double Up program at their stores and is eagerly looking to expand to additional stores.

    Publications


      Progress 07/01/19 to 06/30/20

      Outputs
      Target Audience:Double Up helps to decrease hunger and increase access to healthy food for our target audience of low-income families who receive SNAP food assistance benefits. Currently, Double Up is operating in more than 900 sites across 28 states, including more than 31 communities across Alabama, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Texas for this specific project. In our target communities we estimate we have 2,330 unique users in Alabama, 12,056 unique users in Massachusetts, 4,063 unique users in New Hampshire, 18,950 unique users in New Jersey, and 3,641 unique users in Texas participating in Double Up. In Alabama, the target group is SNAP users in 13 communities in Alabama including: Bessemer, Tarrant, Pratt City, Oakman, downtown Huntsville, south Huntsville, east Birmingham, north Birmingham, downtown Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Holt, Northport, and Opelika. Providers include 8 farmers markets, one mobile grocery store, and one brick and mortar independent grocery store. In 2019, nearly 15 percent of Alabamians received SNAP benefits, higher than the national average. More than 73 percent of SNAP participants in Alabama are families with children -- 5 percentage points higher than the national average. Thirty-five percent of SNAP recipients in Alabama are families with members who are elderly or have disabilities -- 2 percentage points higher than the national average. The average monthly SNAP benefit per each household member is $120, or just $1.32/person/meal. A little more than 16 percent of Alabama households were "food insecure" or struggled to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. That figure is almost equal to the percentage of the state's population that lives below the poverty level. The need for food assistance in Alabama is considerable. In Massachusetts, participants are city of Boston residents, primarily located in the Roxbury and Dorchester neighborhoods. Statewide, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, there are nearly 765,714 individuals who receive SNAP benefits each month, and statewide, there is a 91 percent participation rate of all eligible SNAP recipients. Specifically, 54.4 percent of all households receiving SNAP in Massachusetts's 7th Congressional district, of which Boston is part, are living below the poverty level, with 40.3 percent of all households receiving SNAP benefits having one or more persons 60 years or older. Additionally, 37.2 percent of all households receiving SNAP benefits in the 7th Congressional district in Boston have children 18 years or younger. While overall the number of households receiving SNAP statewide has decreased, within the Boston area, it is evident that the need for SNAP and programs like Double Up still exists. In New Hampshire, participants live throughout the state, primarily in rural settings. Double Up has an imprint in all New Hampshire counties except for Hillsborough County. Statewide, according to the Unites States Department of Agriculture, there are nearly 92,457 people who receive SNAP benefits each month, with an 80 percent participation rate of all eligible SNAP recipients. About 7 percent of households in New Hampshire receive SNAP benefits, half of which have children 18 years and younger. In New Jersey, the target group is SNAP users in four New Jersey communities where the Double Up program operates: East Orange, Hillside, Kearny, and Newark. Congressional district data offers the best source of information on the demographics of people served. For the congressional districts where stores are located, recent data shows the percent of SNAP households below poverty level ranges from 46.6 to 50.1 and the percent of SNAP households with children under 18 years old ranges from 49 to 54.7 percent. Racial/ethnic characteristics of SNAP households vary more significantly across districts, with the percent of African American households ranging from 14.1 percent to 61.8 percent, and percent of Latino/Hispanic householders ranging from 23 to 62.2 percent. Statewide, we know that 67 percent of all SNAP recipients in New Jersey are in families with children, almost 36 percent are in families with members who are elderly or have disabilities, and more than 45 percent of all SNAP recipients are in working families. We also know that 8.6 percent of all households in New Jersey were "food insecure," or struggled to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. Our goal, as we continue our work in the four communities we serve, is to continue to raise awareness about Double Up, with hope of encouraging eligible SNAP individuals and families to utilize Double Up to increase access to healthy food. In Texas, the target population is SNAP users in six different counties where the Double Up program operates: Dimmit, Hale, Lubbock, Lamb, Potter, and Swisher. The cities within these counties are Lubbock, Wolfforth, Plainview, Littlefield, Tulia, Dimmit, and Amarillo. Recent data shows that Texas ranks 41st in Poverty Rate when compared to the national average. The national poverty average is 14.6 percent, and Texas is slightly higher than the national average at 14.9 percent. Many counties served by Double Up have households living below the poverty level, with ranges from 18 to 25 percent. The number of SNAP households with children under 18 years old account for more than half of those receiving federal assistance, and close to 25 percent are in families with members who are elderly or have disabilities. Racial/ethnic characteristics of SNAP households vary across districts and more than 37 percent of all SNAP recipients are working families. We know that 1 in 7 Texans are "food insecure" or struggling to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. Our goal is to continue to expand our efforts through grocery stores, farmers markets, farm stands, and pop-up markets. By extending our reach, we will encourage SNAP-eligible individuals and families to utilize Double Up Food Bucks as a means to reduce nutrition cost while simultaneously increasing access to healthier food options. Changes/Problems:COVID-19 has fundamentally upended communities, making Double Up more necessary than ever, not only as part of our collective emergency response, but also for longer-term repair and recovery. Alabama: This year, several farmers markets did not open for the season as scheduled, or they converted to an online ordering system and were not accepting SNAP. The pop-up nature of farmers markets does not easily allow for effective social distancing or for the erection of protective barriers. To partially compensate for the loss of these services, CFBCA identified a high-need area in Jefferson County and partnered with a local, family-owned grocery store to offer Double Up to their customers, nearly half of whom receive SNAP benefits. To protect customers from COVID-19 exposure, the store requires customers to wear masks, has implemented a single lane system, and has erected plexiglass barriers at each register. Massachusetts: In MA, we have had to a) extend the timelines of some aspects of programming to make room for emergency response, and b) give everyone a little more time and space to execute the work in general. For example: The restrictions put in place due to COVID-19 have limited data collection by Tufts to an extent, preventing in-person focus groups for the time being. Data collection and evaluation continues, but not in person for now. The timeline for onboarding new stores has been modified due to COVID-19. Scheduled activities resumed once Massachusetts guidelines permitted more in-person contact. Program manager Liz Hatzenbeuler left OFA amidst the pandemic for a new job opportunity. Hiring a replacement during this time has been particularly challenging but efforts continue. Deeper purchase pattern data collection via the Roxbury location of Daily Table has proven difficult due to limited file types available for analysis. New Hampshire: No major changes have been required of the NH program since launch. As a result of the pandemic, however, some outreach activities have been suspended indefinitely until they are once again safe to resume. These activities include in-person store visits and in-person meetings with local DHHS offices. As such, outreach and support have shifted to digital communications and phone calls. Double Up Food Bucks sites have been listed on the UNH Cooperative Extension Food Access map, a tool created for those seeking food assistance or education during the pandemic: https://extension.unh.edu/resource/new-hampshire-food-access-map [see 'Nutrition Assistance' tab] New Jersey: The COVID crisis has led to job loss and income reduction for many New Jerseyites, resulting in increased reliance on resources like SNAP and Double Up. Indeed, the intense spike in Double Up participation has impacted the hard-won stability of our NJ program, presenting a variety of unforeseen challenges and causing significant concerns about demand outpacing our budgeted resources in 2020. To address this, Fair Food Network re-allocated funds from other budget line items to fill the gap produced by the pandemic surge and raised additional funds for incentives from pandemic relief agencies. Also, on June 29, we introduced a $5 limit on incentives per transaction (from the original limit of $10) to preserve the incentive budget and ensure the program's long-term sustainability. Qualitative data collection has been challenging during the COVID crisis. The formal collection of qualitative data through customer and management surveys has proved difficult to administer with social distancing guidelines; therefore, qualitative evaluation data has been limited to informal phone, email, and in-store conversations. However, in partnership with Catalina, FFN is working to obtain enhanced data regarding customer patterns, behaviors, and impact. Texas: Since the implementation of the program, a constant struggle has been turnover, both among retail staff at participating locations and, this year especially, within FFN's local implementation partner organization, Texas Hunger Initiative (THI). In November of 2019, the main champion of the South Plains Double Up program at THI left his role. Lacking his leadership, THI struggled to operate the program without managerial support and direction, and this impacted operations at farmers markets. Eventually THI hired a new Regional Director and this person spearheaded a search for a new Program Coordinator who had more capacity to devote to the program. FFN now works directly with the new Program Coordinator to provide high-touch technical assistance and support to address any remaining challenges that resulted from the turnover at THI. Additionally, COVID-19 has posed challenges, namely in program outreach. The Program Coordinator has not been able to host or attend community events, focusing instead on increasing digital promotions of the program. Thankfully, the participating grocery stores were able to continue to operate the program in the face of increased demand due to COVID-19. This was facilitated through efficient technology and strong support from store leadership. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Alabama: CFBCA's Double Up Program Coordinator routinely participates in the national technical assistance and training provided by Fair Food Network that connects Double Up programs across the nation. On a local level, in the past year, CFBCA held trainings for 3 market managers and participating vendors in Tuscaloosa, Meridianville, and downtown Birmingham. A general staff training was also held for the pilot grocery store in Bessemer to explain the program and discuss best practices. Massachusetts: Store managers and cashiers receive one-on-one training as part of Double Up Boston. Accompanying training materials are provided to stores in multiple languages and Double Up Boston teams conduct regular check-ins. Enumerator training has been provided to those individuals involved in the delivery of Double Up surveys with Tufts University. The Boston Program Manager has participated in professional development webinars offered by the Nutrition Incentive Hub. New Hampshire: Store managers and cashiers are provided with training material templates and Double Up FAQs for use in in-store training. Additionally, training and marketing support is provided on a regular basis. FFN staff is working to build the fundraising and marketing capacity of NH Food Bank, which administers Granite State Market Match, the SNAP incentives program at farmers markets throughout the state. Other training and professional development over the reporting period includes offering two workshops on SNAP incentives to colleagues in the food systems field at the New Hampshire Food Alliance Statewide Gathering in early 2020; efforts with UNH Cooperative Extension educators to develop nutrition education materials and resources that tie into the SNAP incentive model. New Jersey: FFN worked closely with Wakefern Food Corporation to create and distribute an updated set of training materials for cashiers and managers specific to Double Up. FFN also provides in-store training updates and technical assistance on an as-needed basis (with regular visits monthly). FFN is working directly with City Green, a New Jersey based organization that administers SNAP incentives at farmers markets statewide, to build local capacity in the Newark area. FFN is providing training to City Green staff to prepare the organization to take on future administration of SNAP incentives at grocery stores. As part of the capacity building, FFN is working closely with City Green on fundraising efforts. Texas: In June of 2020, FFN hired a new Double Up Program Coordinator based in Lubbock. Each week the Program Coordinator meets with FFN's Technical Assistance Manager to learn about the program, troubleshoot challenges, and identify strategies and opportunities to ensure long-term program sustainability. These weekly sessions provide an opportunity for professional development for the Program Coordinator. The Program Coordinator has also been training farmers market managers to implement the program more effectively, including by providing support around point of sale technology as well as outreach and promotions. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We are always seeking opportunities to share our experiences, to exchange information with national practitioners, and to disseminate lessons learned. In 2019, following a successful co-application with the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition, Fair Food Network officially launched the Nutrition Incentive Hub to serve as the USDA's Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Center (NTAE). We were honored that our joint proposal received the sole NTAE award under GusNIP. This work includes one-on-one technical assistance, case studies, regular webinars for practitioners, and regional and national convenings informed by our on-the-ground experience, as outlined above, in NH, NJ, TX, MA and AL. Speaking engagements and media outreach are other avenues by which program innovations and impact are shared. Key national media coverage that highlighted Double Up Food Bucks and other incentive programs over the last year included the following: A push to support 'Double Up Food Bucks' in next round of aid. // July 10, 2020. Politico. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-agriculture/2020/07/10/a-push-to-support-double-up-food-bucks-in-next-round-of-aid-789085 While food supply chains snap, a solution is on the table. // May 20, 2020. The Hill's Changing America. https://thehill.com/changing-america/opinion/498727-while-food-supply-chains-snap-a-solution-is-on-the-table Farmers markets provide healthy food and support local economies. Keep them open during Covid-19 lockdowns. // April 18, 2020. STAT+. https://www.statnews.com/2020/04/18/modify-farmers-markets-but-keep-them-open-covid-19-lockdowns/ What more states allowing SNAP recipients to buy food online means for food security // April 14, 2020. Civil Eats. https://civileats.com/2020/04/13/what-more-states-allowing-snap-recipients-to-buy-food-online-means-for-food-security/ Farmers markets are vital during COVID-19, but they need more support. // April 8, 2020. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/04/08/farmers-markets-are-vital-during-covid-19-but-they-need-more-support/ Evaluating a USDA program that gives SNAP participants financial incentives to buy fresh produce in supermarkets // November 2019. Health Affairs. https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00431 Price incentives boost SNAP produce purchases // Nov. 7, 2019. Politico. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-agriculture/2019/11/07/price-incentives-boost-snap-produce-purchases-782139 Alabama: The work and impact of Double Up Food Bucks were disseminated through quarterly presentations to the Bold Goals Coalition, a collaboration of over 200 organizations that follow a collective impact model to improve health outcomes in Central Alabama. Jimmy Wright of Wright's Market has presented his online SNAP incentive model at various webinars targeting key stakeholders, including retail members of the National Grocers Association and GusNIP grantees through the GusNIP NTAE. Massachusetts: In the summer of 2019, The Mayor's Office of Food Access published a graphic summarizing the results of the first two years of Double Up Food Bucks Boston. This graphic is published on the Double Up Food Bucks Boston website and was shared through social media channels. New Hampshire: The Program Manager offered two workshops on SNAP incentives to colleagues in the food systems field at the New Hampshire Food Alliance Statewide Gathering in early 2020. The Program manager is an active participant in the meetings of both the New Hampshire Food Alliance's Food Access Coalition and the Neighboring Food Co-op Association Healthy Food Access calls, where she reports on Double Up progress at food co-ops and beyond in NH and in New England. New Jersey: In the community, FFN has conducted presentations to Community Food Bank of NJ as well as the MEND Food Pantry Network, among others, sharing information about SNAP incentives with local stakeholders. Texas: Information has been disseminated locally through partnering agencies, such as the South Plains Hunger Solutions Coalition, South Plains Food Bank, Potter County Extension Services, Castro/Swisher County Community Coalition, Lamb County Health and Safety Coalition, and Hale County Resource Networking. Further, the annual Double Up Food Bucks report disseminates findings from all Double Up programs, including the South Plains program. FFN has also supported Texas Health and Human Services Commission SNAP Study Workgroup in their requests for information on Double Up Texas program impact. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Alabama: We plan to expand the Double Up Food Bucks Program to targeted communities in Alabama to reach more SNAP participants. In a recent community needs assessment conducted by the Jefferson County Health Department, residents voiced lack of transportation and limited healthy food access as key barriers to healthy lifestyles. To address the lack of reliable public transportation, the City of Birmingham partnered with the Jefferson County Transit Authority to open a farmers market that accepts SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks directly adjacent to the city's central bus station. In addition to transportation needs, lack of information about the program is a barrier. To address this challenge, we have partnered with the Alabama Department of Human Resources to mail SNAP recipients flyers about the Double Up program. Flyers were delayed this year due to COVID-19 but will be sent out in time for the fall season, reaching approximately 150,000 families. CFBCA is gaining confidence in leading a nutrition incentive program that operates in both farm-direct and brick-and-mortar retail settings. FFN connected CFBCA with Jimmy Wright from Wright's Market, and the two are working with the Nutrition Incentive Hub and the National Grocers Association Foundation to identify additional grocery retailers and develop a GusNIP proposal for 2021. Massachusetts: In fall 2020 alone, Double Up Boston will add three additional corner store locations in East Boston to the Double Up Food Bucks program. Simultaneously, the team will work to add an additional four stores to the program by spring of 2021, bringing the total number of participating stores to 10 by spring 2021. The Double Up Boston team continues to work with Tufts University to complete its multi-year evaluation project, with a final evaluation report to be completed in winter of 2021. The Double Up Food Bucks Boston team will increase the support it is providing to participating stores through point of sale tech updates to be made in 2020 and store grants distributed to improve store infrastructure. In response to the growing demand and appreciation for Double Up Food Bucks, the Mayor's Office of Food Access secured $100k in the City budget in FY 2021 to support Double Up Food Bucks' continued growth. They will use this budget appropriation as a portion of the match funds for a 2021 GusNIP proposal. New Hampshire: FFN will continue to promote the program throughout the state, working closely with UNH Cooperative Extension, DHHS, and other local outlets. FFN will also continue to provide technical support to all stores and is aiming to add two additional stores to the program. Now that the program has hit its stride, Fair Food Network is working to gradually transition the Double Up program to local management for long-term program sustainability and maximum outreach and administrative efficiency. New Hampshire is fortunate to have an experienced local lead, Granite State Market Match (GSMM), located at the NH Food Bank, which is ready to take on this role. GSMM currently administers SNAP incentive programs at farmers markets and some retail outlets throughout the state and has been a strong collaborative partner with the New Hampshire Double Up program over the last two years. Granite State Market Match is currently funded through a separate FINI grant, in partnership with other New England states. This grant to GSMM continues one year longer than Fair Food Network's FINI grant, ending in June 2022. In anticipation of the date of completion, Fair Food Network plans to assist GSMM in sustaining Double Up Food Bucks through a joint Double Up Food Bucks/Granite State Market Match GusNIP (formerly FINI) application to continue SNAP incentives at New Hampshire retail sites and farmers markets into 2022 and beyond. In the year between the expiration of Fair Food Network's FINI grant and the application for the next, we are committed to ensuring that Double Up Food Bucks NH continues without any interruption. New Jersey: Fair Food Network will support a minimum of 5,000 unique SNAP households with Double Up Food Bucks nutrition incentives, as well as provide at least $264,000 in nutrition incentives to New Jersey SNAP participants over the course of the program year. With the continuing COVID crisis, it is important to not only support existing SNAP participants and broadening SNAP rolls, but to ensure that SNAP users are maximizing the benefits of the Double Up program. A continued, strong marketing push to reach SNAP consumers and program sites will increase consumer knowledge of the program and result in higher Double Up incentive spending rates. The spending rate in 2020 is 26.21 percent; we would like to raise the spending rate two to four points over the course of 2021 to get closer to a 30 percent spending rate. We will continue to distribute program information and promotional materials to reach SNAP consumers across a variety of platforms (in-person, direct mail, digital marketing, etc.) and, in collaboration with our technology partner, Catalina, obtain enhanced quantitative data on customer patterns, behavior, and program impact. Increased program usage, incentive outlays, and spending rates will all be reliable indicators of increased program access, the success of our marketing program in reaching SNAP consumers and providers, and of the value of the Double Up program to New Jerseyites. Fair Food Network will provide hands-on training to City Green staff, present and future, in the administration of SNAP incentives at Shoprite. Further, as a public-private partnership, Double Up continues to leverage state and federal funding to bring additional resources to combat food insecurity and the economic disruption caused by this crisis. Fair Food Network will continue to provide assistance to City Green with their fundraising strategy and preparation of the GusNIP application for SNAP incentives expansion in New Jersey. Texas: During the next reporting period, our main focus will be ensuring continuation of the program past the end of this funding opportunity through ongoing engagement of local funders and stakeholders, as well as through increased emphasis on highlighting program impact. We are also excited to work with new growers and farmers markets who hope to implement the Double Up program once they have become approved to accept SNAP benefits. Furthermore, we will strengthen our relationships on a local and state level in pursuit of increased support from the Texas state legislature. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission SNAP Study Workgroup is charged with advising the State of Texas on how to best expand nutrition incentives to reach more SNAP shoppers, so sharing our findings with them will help to facilitate support for Double Up at the state level. Lastly, we are working to ensure that local partners are ready and well-positioned to take over management and implementation of the Double Up program upon grant closure. With support from FFN, Sustainable Food Center in Austin (a Double Up partner since 2019) aligned the five Double Up programs operating in disparate regions of Texas (Austin, Fort Worth, Houston, Waco, South Plains) through the Double Up Texas Steering Committee. While a permanent host for such an aligned Double Up effort is not yet fully decided, we are making good progress in cultivating local partners and support.

      Impacts
      What was accomplished under these goals? Alabama: Double Up Food Bucks in Alabama is administered by FFN's partner, the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama (CFBCA). In the past year, the CFBCA partnered with 9 farmers markets and one mobile grocery store to distribute nearly $15,000 worth of produce in 5 Alabama counties, which translates to 14,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables provided to SNAP participants. In the past year, the CFBCA served more than 400 new clients. CFBCA brought on 3 new farmers markets and launched a grocery pilot program in a high-need area in Jefferson County to compensate for the temporary closure of some markets due to COVID-19. CFBCA continues to explore creative solutions to offer limited-contact access to the Double Up program. Wright's Market, a brick and mortar grocery store in Opelika, launched the first online SNAP incentive program that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly to people's homes in April 2020. This groundbreaking model addresses major barriers of transportation and accessibility that have been exacerbated during the pandemic. Wright's Market processed over 17,550 Double Up transactions, spending $47,760 in SNAP and Double Up from July 2019-June 2020, bringing much needed assistance to a rural area with a poverty rate greater than 23 percent. Massachusetts: Double Up Boston is administered by the Mayor's Office of Food Access, with Fair Food Network providing technical assistance and program oversight. The Double Up Boston program has been operating continuously in three stores located in the lower income neighborhoods of Roxbury and Dorchester since August 2018. Three additional locations in the East Boston neighborhood will be launching in October 2020. The Office of Food Access has worked with Tufts University to develop a deep evaluation of the program and will continue to expand the program to additional locations over the next year. From July 2019-June 2020, SNAP Shoppers in Boston spent $320,664 in SNAP and Double Up incentives, over the course of 41,120 transactions. Because Boston utilizes an automatic redemption model, earning and spending numbers are identical. New Hampshire: Double Up NH has been operating continuously in independently owned rural grocery stores since July 2018. There are 16 participating independent grocery stores throughout the state. During the past year, we have focused on onboarding several new outlets while strategically promoting Double Up and forming deeper relationships with community outreach partners such as UNH Cooperative Extension, New Futures, and Granite State Market Match. From July 2019-June 2020, shoppers spent $216,184 in SNAP and Double Up on fresh fruits and vegetables through 47,031 unique transactions. Participating stores continue to report the positive impacts of DUFB NH. Monadnock Food Co-op, for example, saw a 39 percent increase in SNAP produce sales since launching the program. In the past year, FFN worked closely with UNH Cooperative Extension to develop a "virtual store tour," a one-on-one online nutrition education offering for SNAP participants. Fourteen SNAP shoppers participated in the first month of the pilot offering, which will expand in the coming months. In 2020, FFN also ran a geofencing campaign to promote Double Up, serving digital advertisements to SNAP shoppers on their phones when in close geographic proximity to Double Up Food Bucks sites. Evidence suggests that this campaign influenced customer behavior, with a 32 percent jump in Double Up Spending at Vista Foods in Laconia during the campaign period. In the fall of 2019, annual qualitative evaluations were conducted to assess program effectiveness and seek ways in which to improve the program. Surveys were conducted among SNAP shoppers, cashiers, and managers in all participating counties, with encouraging results showing strong customer loyalty to the program, ease of use for managers and cashiers, and overall program satisfaction. These evaluations also informed improvements to the website and signage, as well as plans to provide more opportunities for program outreach. New Jersey: Double Up Food Bucks has been operating in four ShopRite grocery stores in the Newark area continuously since July 2018. Program use has boomed, with more than 25,000 households -- or nearly 50,000 individuals -- earning and spending Double Up NJ coupons since program launch. SNAP shoppers at all participating stores earned a total of $1,071,107 in Double Up coupons and spent $257,180 worth on additional fruits and vegetables from July 2019 to June 2020. This represents a 24 percent spending rate and consists of 239,178 individual Double Up transactions (earning + spending). Most program spending has occurred within the last year -- a learning we attribute to both increasing SNAP rolls during the COVID-19 crisis and our success in program implementation. FFN received funding from the NJ Pandemic Relief Foundation to shoulder the burden of some of this increased usage. On June 29, the program coupon limit was reduced to $5 per transaction (hopefully temporarily) to curb spending. As this explosion in program participation in the first half of 2020 shows, Double Up Food Bucks has been a significant resource helping SNAP shoppers to eat more healthy and fresh produce throughout the pandemic. Much was accomplished in coordination with our many local partners over the last year. Working closely with Catalina and Wakefern Food Corporation, FFN resolved challenges in point of sale technology. FFN has also partnered with MEND, a network of over 20 food pantries in NJ that will be deepening its promotion of and connection to Double Up Food Bucks NJ at a grassroots level. To strengthen local capacity and to transition the Double Up program to local management for long-term program sustainability, FFN is building a partnership with local organization City Green. As one piece of this effort, we will be working with City Green and other organizations to advocate for state funding for SNAP incentives in NJ in the FY22 New Jersey budget. FFN is also working with its technology provider, Catalina, to evaluate more detailed quantitative data to inform program improvements and track program progress. From November 22 through December 13, FFN worked with marketing firm Spatially to run a geofencing campaign to promote Double Up, serving digital advertisements to SNAP shoppers on their phones when in close geographic proximity to Double Up Food Bucks sites. The campaign was an obvious success, generating over 1.4 million impressions and 6,589 clicks, leading to an uptick in outreach emails via our redesigned website and hotline phone number and a jump in overall program usage. Texas: During the reporting period, much progress was made to increase Double Up's presence in the South Plains region of Texas and to reach more SNAP users. Specifically, Double Up operated in 8 farmers markets and 4 grocery stores across 9 communities. In total, SNAP shoppers earned $214,600 and spent $106,511 in incentives between July 2019 and June 2020. In Texas, FFN continued to work with community partners to raise awareness about Double Up, especially in preparation for the 2020 farmers market season. Local Double Up staff made multiple visits to participating sites, and FFN staff visited Texas in February 2020 to garner support from local community partners and of retailers. In spring 2020, we continued to experience progress in reaching a much larger group of SNAP customers. In addition to our work with Lowe's Markets and farmers markets, the program expanded into United Supermarkets, accounting for a 96 percent increase in Double Up spending compared to last reporting period. Customers at the Lubbock and Brownfield United stores can now earn and spend Double Up. The transaction is facilitated through United's loyalty app, offering a streamlined and robust technology mechanism to facilitate increased program participation.

      Publications


        Progress 07/01/18 to 06/30/19

        Outputs
        Target Audience:Double Up's target audience is low-income families who receive SNAP food assistance benefits, helping to decrease hunger and increase access to healthy food to these recipients. Currently, Double Up is operating in more than 800 sites across 24 states, including over 31 communities across Alabama, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Texas for this specific project. In our target communities we estimate we have over 1,200 unique users in Alabama, 2,620 unique users in Massachusetts, 3,753 unique users in New Hampshire, 1,464 unique users in New Jersey, and over 600 unique users in Texas participating in Double Up. In Alabama, the target group is SNAP users in 10 communities in Alabama including: Bessemer, Tarrant, Pratt City, Oakman, downtown Huntsville, south Huntsville, east Birmingham, north Birmingham, downtown Birmingham, and Opelika. Providers include 6 farmers markets, one mobile grocery store, and one brick and mortar independent grocery store. In 2017, 1 in 6 - approximately 17 percent - of Alabamians received food stamps, higher than the national average of 13 percent. More than 73 percent of SNAP participants in Alabama are families with children, 5 percentage points higher than the national average. Thirty-five percent of SNAP recipients in Alabama are in families with members who are elderly or have disabilities, 2 percentage points higher than the national average. The average monthly SNAP benefit per each household member is $120, or only $1.32 per person, per meal. A little more than 16 percent of Alabama households were "food insecure" or struggled to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. That figure is almost equal to the percentage of the state's population that lives below the poverty level. The need for food assistance in Alabama is considerable. In the coming years, we hope to expand the Double Up program into more Alabama communities. In Massachusetts, participants are city of Boston residents, primarily located in the Roxbury and Dorchester neighborhoods. Statewide, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, there are nearly 765,714 individuals who receive SNAP benefits each month, and statewide, there is a 91 percent participation rate of all eligible SNAP recipients. Specifically, 54.4 percent of all households receiving SNAP in Massachusetts's 7th Congressional District, which Boston is part of, are living below the poverty level, with 40.3 percent of all households receiving SNAP benefits having one or more persons 60 years or older. Additionally, 37.2 percent of all households receiving SNAP benefits in the 7th Congressional District in Boston have children 18 years or younger. While overall, the number of households receiving SNAP across the state has decreased, within the Boston-area, it is evident that the need for SNAP and programs like Double Up still exists. In New Hampshire, participants live throughout the state, primarily in rural settings. Double Up has an imprint in all New Hampshire counties except for Hillsborough County. Statewide, according to the Unites States Department of Agriculture, there are nearly 92,457 people who receive SNAP benefits each month, with an 80 percent participation rate of all eligible SNAP recipients. About 7 percent of households in New Hampshire receive SNAP benefits, of which about 50 percent of all households have children 18 years and younger. In New Jersey, the target group is SNAP users in four New Jersey communities where the Double Up program operates: East Orange, Hillside, Kearny, and Newark. Congressional district data offers the best source of information on the demographics of people served. For the three congressional districts where stores are located, recent data shows the percent of SNAP households below poverty level ranges from 46.2 to 50.2 and the percent of SNAP households with children under 18 years old ranges from 48.9 to 55 percent. Racial/ethnic characteristics of SNAP households vary more significantly across districts, with the percent of African American households ranging from 16 percent to 61.8 percent, and percent of Latino/Hispanic householders ranging from 24.7 to 70.1 percent. Statewide, we know that 67 percent of all SNAP recipients in New Jersey are in families with children; almost 36 percent are in families with members who are elderly or have disabilities; and more than 45 percent of all SNAP recipients are in working families. We also know that 8.6 percent of all households in New Jersey were "food insecure," or struggled to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. Our goal, as we continue our work in the four communities we serve, is to continue to raise awareness about Double Up, with hope of encouraging eligible SNAP individuals and families to utilize Double Up to increase access to healthy food. In Texas, the target group is SNAP users in seven different counties where the Double Up program operates: Lubbock, Wolfforth, Plainview, Littlefield, Tulia, Dimmit, and Amarillo. Recent data shows that Texas ranks 37th in Poverty Rate when compared to the national average. The national poverty average is 14.6% and Texas is slightly higher than the national average at 16%. Many counties served by Double Up have households living below the poverty level with ranges from 17% to 33%. The number of SNAP households with children under 18 years old account for more than half of those receiving federal assistance and close to 25% are in families with members who are elderly or have disabilities. Racial/ethnic characteristics of SNAP households vary across districts and more than 37% of all SNAP recipients are working families. We know that 1 in 7 Texans are "food insecure" or struggling to afford a nutritionally adequate diet. Our goal is to continue to expand our efforts through grocery stores, farmers markets, farm stands, and pop-up markets. By extending our reach we hope to encourage SNAP-eligible individuals and families to utilize Double Up Food Bucks as a means to reduce nutrition cost while simultaneously increasing access to healthier food options. Changes/Problems:Alabama: The main issue markets and vendors face is transaction fees associated with using SNAP equipment. Smaller markets often do not make the profit margins required to cover these fees. In one case in Walker County, a market manager agreed to accept SNAP benefits when an opportunity arose through the USDA for free equipment with fees waived for 12 months. After the first year, when the market was responsible for paying for transaction fees, the market decided to stop accepting SNAP because the cost was prohibitive. We're currently waiting for a new contract to be approved by the USDA and hope to have access to free equipment for prospective markets by the start of the 2020 season. However, we do not have any information regarding transaction fees. The lack of information regarding affordable options is a key barrier to expansion in Alabama. New Jersey: The greatest challenges are high cashier/corporate turnover and technology. Since starting the program and training cashiers and management on the program, there has been a great deal of turnover internally at the stores, as well as internally at Wakefern. The majority of the cashiers working in the four stores are part-time employees who need regular training and reminders to promote the program. While systems are in place to do this, it is a constant challenge to ensure it is being done properly. Similarly, at the corporate level, technology representatives for Catalina coupons (the tech that makes the program possible), have also been turned over at a high rate. This means that institutional memory about technological learnings can be hard to maintain and FFN staff is obligated to teach and re-teach individuals about the program. The lesson learned is the more touch points with store leadership and corporate leadership, the better. Success requires internal champions who are committed to this program, and this relies on relationship building, first and foremost. Additionally, FFN is working more closely with other SNAP incentive organizations to combine technological resources and impact technological advancements to make the program much more seamless for stores, customers and cashiers. Massachusetts: The greatest challenge for Double Up Boston is locating additional corner stores who have the staff and resources to successfully execute the program. While the participating three stores are doing an outstanding job with the program, other stores that have attempted to participate have been less successful. The right fit requires a store manager who is deeply interested in seeing the program succeed and who can create a culture in their store where customers are encouraged to purchase produce. Following several attempts to add new stores, Double Up Boston staff has learned a great deal about the type of commitment and infrastructure required in order to onboard a store. These learnings will be key moving forward as future stores are considered as potential participants. New Hampshire: No major changes have been required of the NH program since launch. Texas: One of our greatest challenges is related to the turnover rate at the local store level. Additional challenges have involved cementing adequate technology at the corporate level. Since the implementation of the program, a constant struggle has been turn-over. Double Up staff has been consistent in offering to train cashiers at grocery stores, as well as farmer's markets, and provide education for management on how to train new employees about the program. The pilot grocery stores are in rural areas, where many of the employees are part-time and require constant reminders to promote Double Up. Both grocers who we are working with have expressed technology concerns. Logistically, the stores are required to manually override their system to apply the SNAP incentive to ensure that the incentives are applied correctly. Additionally, there have been multiple shifts at the corporate level (related to technology) which unfortunately has resulted in a loss of information being transferred to new hires, leaving FFN responsible for the re-education of the program. Texas is working with other SNAP incentive organizations on a state level to strengthen technology and resources, create engagement from state leaders and increase awareness of the program, Additionally, we are working on a local level to enrich leadership within the stores and charter leadership at the corporate level. Our goal is to seek out champions at every level of implementation to make the customer experience seamless. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Alabama: In February of 2019, the project made it possible for Alabama's Double Up Food Bucks Coordinator to attend a national conference for Double Up Food Bucks practitioners. The opportunity exposed us to best practices for Double Up Food Bucks implementation and deepened our understanding of technical issues. The Coordinator also routinely participates in the national technical assistance and training provided by Fair Food Network that connects Double Up Food Bucks programs across the nation. On a local level, we trained seven individual market managers to accept Double Up Food Bucks in 2018. We also made site visits to eight separate markets across the state in Central, North, and South Alabama. In early 2019, we held two farmers market manager meetings, one in Central Alabama and one in North Alabama. These meetings offered an opportunity to debrief the last season, share best practices, review program requirements, and problem solve any issues before the 2019 season. During the summer we conducted five site visits to markets in Central and North Alabama and are planning a managers' meeting to kick off the 2020 season. New Jersey: FFN worked closely with the human resources department of Wakefern Food Corporation to create training materials for cashiers and managers specific to Double Up. FFN also provides in store training updates and technical assistance on a monthly basis. In the community, FFN has conducted presentations to Community Food Bank of NJ as well as the MEND Food Pantry Network, among other, sharing information about SNAP incentives with local stakeholders. Massachusetts: Store managers and cashiers are trained on a one-on-one basis as part of Double Up Boston. Accompanying training materials are provided to stores in multiple languages and Double Up Boston teams conduct regular check-ins. Enumerator training has been provided to those individuals involved in the delivery of Double Up surveys with Tufts University. The Boston Program Manager attended Fair Food Network's annual gathering of Double Up program leads, a three-day event in which Double Up partners are engaged in professional development in the field of SNAP Incentives. New Hampshire: Store managers and cashiers are provided with training material templates and Double Up FAQs for use in in-store training. Additionally, training and marketing support is provided on a regular basis. The Program Manager conducted a webinar for the Neighboring Food Coop Association to engage food coops in the region in SNAP Incentives. In May 2018 and 2019, FFN staff conducted training visits to local DHHS offices to teach SNAP workers about the field of SNAP Incentives. The New Hampshire Program Manager attended FFN's National Double Up Convening, held in Portland, Oregon. This convening brought together Double Up practitioners from 26 states and offered a space to learn and share experiences about policy, advocacy, and outreach strategies. She also presented at the convening, sharing information about SNAP Incentive technology based on the Double Up experience in New Hampshire. Texas: The Program Coordinator attended FFN's National Double Up Convening, held in Portland, Oregon. This convening brought together Double Up practitioners from 26 states and offered a space to learn and share experiences about policy, advocacy, and outreach strategies. Additionally, we have explored research opportunities with the assistance of Baylor University through the Texas Hunger Initiative. We have collaborated with other state agencies to expand our knowledge of "best practices" in relation to healthy food incentive programs. We also take the knowledge that we have received and shared this information with our farmers markets and grocers to strengthen their business. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We are always seeking opportunities to share our experiences, to exchange information with national practitioners, and to disseminate lessons learned. For the past three years FFN has held an annual convening of nationwide Double Up practitioners for this purpose. Our most recent annual convening in February 2019 brought together 50 partners from 25 states. The convening provided opportunities for networking and sharing tools and resources with partners implementing or planning to implement Double Up, especially in the areas of evaluation, technology, local sourcing, market/grocery support, and communications. We will plan and host another convening in early 2020. We are also consistently present in statewide and national discussions in this field, and we disseminate information via attendance and presentations at numerous events, as well as regular publications and media coverage. We anticipate continuing this approach over the next year. Key Presentations and information exchange over the last year included the following: Presented at the USDA Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Program Project Directors Meeting in Washington, DC, highlighting our work to USDA and other FINI grantees. In 2019, CEO Oran Hesterman moderated a panel of FINI matching funders to help highlight the role of philanthropy in this successful public program. Presented at conferences among peers and researchers, including the American Public Health Association (APHA) National Conference. At the 2018 APHA conference, we were part of a poster presentation and our video was highlighted in a conference-wide film competition (Flint Double Up video). Represented our work regionally with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Midwest region. In 2018, through FNS we presented on a regional webinar to share our experience with Double Up Food Bucks for affinity organizations. Engaged in a working group of technology leaders in the food/agriculture field. In 2018, FFN joined the Refresh working group, a collection of organizations working on technology challenges and solutions in the food and agriculture sector. This included participation in a fireside chat with former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to share important issues related to our work. Alabama: The work and impact of Double Up Food Bucks were disseminated through quarterly presentations to the Bold Goals Coalition, a collaboration of over 200 organizations that follow a collective impact model to improve health outcomes in Central Alabama. New Jersey: In the community, FFN has conducted presentations to Community Food Bank of NJ as well as the MEND Food Pantry Network, among other, sharing information about SNAP incentives with local stakeholders. Massachusetts: N/A New Hampshire: Program Manager conducted a webinar for the Neighboring Food Coop Association to engage food coops in the region in SNAP Incentives. In May 2018 and 2019, FFN staff conducted training visits to local DHHS offices to teach SNAP workers about the field of SNAP Incentives. Texas: Information has been disseminated locally through partnering agencies such as; the South Plains Hunger Solutions Coalition, South Plains Food Bank, Potter County Extension Services, Castro / Swisher County Community Coalition, Lamb County Health and Safety Coalition and Hale County Resource Networking. On a broader level we are actively engaged in the Texas Convening for Food Incentive Programs, with the first annual meeting being held in January of 2019. Additionally, the annual Double Up Food Bucks convening help in February of 2019 also proved to be informative and allowed an amazing opportunity to engage with those in other states. Although we attribute much of our program's success to the relationships we have built locally, state-wide and nationally; we are most proud of the growth that has developed as a direct result of customer referrals. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Alabama: We plan to expand the Double Up Food Bucks Program to targeted communities in Alabama in order to reach more SNAP participants. In a recent community needs assessment conducted by the Jefferson County Health Department, residents voiced lack of transportation and limited healthy food access as key barriers to healthy lifestyles. To address the lack of reliable public transportation, which is preventing residents from accessing healthy food such as fresh produce, we plan to onboard farm stands hosted by K-12 schools within target neighborhoods. We will pilot one farm stand and if successful, expand to six additional schools. These locations are within walking distances of many residences and are on public school bus routes. We also are helping to launch a new farm stand located at the intermodal transportation hub of the City of Birmingham. This location is key as all the city's bus routes converge at this site. In North Alabama, we began outreach and engagement to a farmers market in Meridianville that plans to participate in Double Up next season. In addition to transportation, lack of information about the program is a barrier. To address this challenge, we have partnered with the Alabama Department of Human Resources to mail SNAP recipients flyers about the Double Up program. To date, more than 50,000 mailers have been sent out on three separate occasions, and each time, markets have seen a significant increase in the number of SNAP customers. Our target in 2020 is to increase SNAP and Double Up redemptions by 15 percent next year. New Jersey: We know from our national experience that it takes time for program awareness to grow among SNAP participants, and for stores to smoothly and consistently implement the program. Based on available data, we project Double Up sales will increase steadily in the coming year, as store manager Rich Garcia has made a firm commitment to improving distribution rates in the Newark store and the FFN program coordinator has identified an increasing number of opportunities to visit and connect with store managers and community members. In late May 2019, FFN led pre-season planning meetings with Wakefern partners to prepare for summer 2019. As a result, FFN staff will continue to take a more active role in ensuring that stores are properly outfitted with promotional materials and cashiers are reinvigorated with excitement and knowledge of the program each month. The dieticians in Newark and East Orange have become key partners in program promotion. They are particularly committed to seeing the program grow and we will continue to support them in those efforts. As mentioned above, FFN staff began promoting in person throughout the summer and has taken a more heavy-handed approach to relationship building within the community to ensure that strategic partnerships are developed to help raise awareness. While growth of the program is slow and steady, we believe by continuing to work with our existing stores, as well as exploring new stores to implement the program in we will reach our program objectives and goals. Relative to technological advancement, FFN is conducting continual research among grocery technology and IT leaders regarding Catalina coupon technology and how best it can be used for Double Up. ShopRite stores in NJ use this technology, as will Wakefern-owned stores in the Philadelphia area in 2019. FFN is also likely to implement geofencing technology to reach customers, starting in the fall. This technology pings shoppers on their phones about Double Up when they enter a certain geographic area (i.e., the grocery store). This technology has proven to be successful as a marketing tool across industries and we are excited to test it further with Double Up. Finally, FFN will continually work to embed itself and the program in the local Newark community and build strategic relationships throughout the area. Massachusetts: In the coming months, Double Up Boston strives to spread to at least two additional corner store locations while simultaneously increasing its buzz and presence in the community through community outreach. Additionally, the Double Up Boston team intends to work with Tufts University to complete its first evaluation project. New Hampshire: In the coming months, Double Up New Hampshire aims to add two additional stores to its participating sites and to publish two reports on local produce sourcing in participating stores. Additionally, Double Up New Hampshire will work closely with Granite State Market Match to help efforts toward obtaining state funding for SNAP incentives. Texas: During the next reporting period we will expand our stretch to smaller rural areas through our partnerships with major grocers. We are also excited to work with new growers and farmers markets who hope to implement the Double Up program once they have become approved to accept SNAP benefits. Furthermore, we will strengthen our relationships on a local and state level with the desire of gaining support from state legislature.

        Impacts
        What was accomplished under these goals? Alabama: Double Up Food Bucks in Alabama is administered by FFN's partner, the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama. In the past year, Double Up Alabama worked with eight farmers markets and one mobile grocery store in North, Central, and South Alabama to bring Double Up to more than 600 new customers, nearly doubling the consumer base from last season. Combined, more than $25,000 in SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks incentives were redeemed, with 97 percent of all Double Up Food Bucks vouchers being redeemed at the end of the reporting period. Wright's Market, a brick and mortar grocery store in Opelika, processed over 15,000 Double Up transactions and redeemed over $46,900 from July 2018 - June 2019, bringing much needed assistance to a rural area with a poverty rate of more than 23 percent. We continue to seek out opportunities to bring on more partners and expand into more communities. New Jersey: Double Up Food Bucks has been operating in four ShopRite grocery stores in the Newark, NJ area: East Orange, Hillside, Kearny, and Newark since July 2018. At check-out, SNAP shoppers paying with their EBT card receive a coupon matching their amount spent on fresh fruits and vegetables, up to $10 per day. Below are activities to date that illustrate our work implementing Double Up and achieving program goals: FFN staff took a more hands-on approach within participating stores in 2019, and is now printing all signage and delivering it directly to each store on a monthly basis, ensuring that signage is timely received and is modified per store wants and needs. FFN checks in at least monthly to verify that the signage provided meets their needs. More than 25,000 flyers have been distributed so far in 2019. FFN deepened its relationship with the new front-end manager at the Newark store, Rich Garcia, who is highly motivated to see the program succeed. Garcia and FFN staff are in touch regularly regarding issues related to the program. The same is true of the owner of the Kearny store, Gerald Sorrentino, and the front-end manager at East Orange Shoprite, Idrissa Wade. FFN recently held two meetings with the Wakefern dietician coordinator as well as the in-store dietician in Newark, Biancha Jackson. FFN prepared dietician-specific materials according to their requests. FFN participated in Shoprite of Newark's Health Carnival on August 10, 2019, hosting a promotional table in the space outside of the store. FFN worked closely with City Green, a local organization that runs a SNAP incentive program at farmers markets in the area. Together, promotional events were held in East Orange on July 30, and in Newark on August 1 and August 10. Wakefern Food Corporation ran an ad for Double Up Food Bucks in their circular released on June 9, 2019. FFN staff addressed 19 Food Pantries of the MEND Network at its monthly meeting in April 2019. The MEND member pantries, which are all in the general Newark Area, were eager to learn and share more about the program. A new community outreach list was developed in conjunction with Wakefern, providing local organizations the newest Double Up flyers. FFN and Wakefern worked with Community Food Bank of NJ to create an outreach strategy. CFBNJ distributed 6,000 flyers in January 2019 through their programs. FFN national leadership continues to engage and offer its expertise to DUFB NJ with program staff providing onsite visitions and discussions to improve the program. Additionally, from July 2018 - June 2019, the program had a quantitative impact: SNAP shoppers earned $127,371 in Double Up coupons and spent $56,014 worth of Double Up coupons on additional fruits and vegetables. SNAP shoppers made a total of 47,658 transactions since program launch (earning + spending) with over 1,464 unique households spending Double Up coupons. ShopRite of East Orange purchased over $70,000 in hyper local produce from four area farms from July through September 2018. Reports for 2019 have not yet been compiled. Massachusetts: Double Up Boston is administered by the Mayor's Office of Food Access, with FFN providing technical assistance and program oversight. The Double Up Boston program has been operating continuously in three stores since August 2018, with four additional locations launching in the past year. The stores are primarily located in the lower income neighborhoods of Roxbury and Dorchester. These are corner stores in urban centers. The Office of Food Access team has worked with Tufts University to develop a deep evaluation of the program and will continue to expand the program to additional locations. From July 2018 through June 2019, SNAP Shoppers in Boston spent $203,950 in SNAP and Double Up incentives, over the course of 25,586 transactions. Because Boston utilizes an automatic redemption model, earning and redeeming numbers are identical. New Hampshire: Double Up NH has been operating continuously in 10 independently owned rural grocery stores since July 2018. In June 2019, Double Up NH expanded to four additional retail outlets, making the current number of participating stores a total of 14. During the past year, focus was centered on onboarding new outlets while strategically promoting Double Up throughout the state, forming deeper relationships with community partners. From July 2018 through June 2019, SNAP Shoppers in New Hampshire spent $249,676 in SNAP and Double Up incentives, over the course of 35,984 transactions. Because New Hampshire utilizes an automatic redemption model, earning and redeeming numbers are identical. More than 350 SNAP households in the Upper Valley Region have signed up for a Double Up Coupon card, which can be used to activate Double Up at all three participating Coop Food Stores (Hanover, Lebanon, White River Junction). The Coop Food Stores have seen a 12 percent increase in SNAP usage in their stores since launching Double Up Food Bucks in June 2018. Double Up Food Bucks now has a presence in 9 out of 10 of the counties in NH. The majority of sites from last year continue to increase monthly activity, while new stores experienced great success in the first months of activity. Texas: During the reporting period, much progress was made to increase Double Up's presence in Texas and reach more SNAP users. Specifically, Double Up operated in 9 farmers markets and 2 grocery stores across 13 communities. In total, SNAP shoppers earned a total of $5,807.38 and spent $4,465.92 in incentives between July 2018 - June 2019. In Texas, FFN continued to work with community partners to raise awareness about Double Up, especially in preparation for the 2019 farmers market season. Double Up staff held the first quarterly Advisory Committee meeting in April and hosted a pre-season Market Managers' Meeting; both events received a warm response. Double Up staff made multiple site visits to the participating rural grocery stores, as well as to Lowe's Market corporate headquarters, and are working with store management to identify and implement best practices for reaching customers. In spring 2019, we continued to experience progress with promising potential for reaching a much larger group of SNAP customers. This includes, Lowe's Markets being open and expressing a willingness to launch the program at three "Food King" stores in Lubbock, potentially increasing access of Double Up to more SNAP customers. This would also allow our team to work with store staff and community organizations for community outreach and ongoing program training. Additionally, we have been engaged in an ongoing dialogue with corporate leadership at United Supermarkets about their desire to implement Double Up at one rural location and one urban location. We highly anticipate that these two locations will begin participation in the program by the fall of 2019.

        Publications