Members of the public urged the Milwaukee County Committee on Finance to prioritize $150,000 in county funding to continue the Milwaukee Market Match program, saying the program increases access to fresh produce for low-income residents and provides income for local farmers.

The program was described during public comment by Carrie Hoy, who said she manages the Brown Deer Farmers Market and that the market "averag[es] over a thousand people" with "extremely high EBT and SNAP usage." Hoy said the match program lets customers "take out money" from EBT and have it doubled so they can "buy fresh fruit and vegetables," and that it supports local farmers, including Hmong growers who have farmed for generations in the area.

Nicole Hudzinski, government relations director for the American Heart Association in Wisconsin, and Dr. Joy Lincoln, chief scientific officer at Children's Wisconsin and president of the American Heart Association's Milwaukee board, also spoke in support. Lincoln asked the committee to "consider and support $150,000 towards the Milwaukee market match program," saying the program began as a 2020 pilot and expanded with ARPA funds to 12 farmers markets and that without continued funding "we're going to have to stop the program and significantly cut back on our accessibility of fresh fruits and vegetables." Hudzinski framed the request as an appeal from multiple community partners who have invested in the program.

Supporters said the program both reduces stigma around benefit use and underpins farm income at markets where many vendors rely on match dollars. Hoy noted that many market patrons are seniors and parents with small children and that, for some, the market is the community's only source for fresh fruits and vegetables.

The comments were offered during the public hearing on the County Executive's 2026 recommended budget; no formal committee action or vote on the request was recorded in the hearing transcript.

If the committee chooses to act, the speakers identified a specific funding ask ($150,000) but did not detail how the county funds would integrate with other partners' contributions going forward.

Community members planning additional outreach were thanked by the chair, and no questions beyond clarifying whether Children's Wisconsin directly funds the program were recorded. Dr. Lincoln replied that the health system promotes the market match program through its Healthy Hearts initiative but does not provide direct funding.