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Seaside market expands food-access programs as CalFresh use rises
Summary
Everyone's Harvest reported higher vendor sales, growing CalFresh/EBT participation and a USDA-backed produce box program at Seaside Farmers Market; staff and council discussed program funding stability and outreach to seniors and students.
Everyone’s Harvest, the nonprofit operator of the Seaside Farmers Market, told the City Council on March 20 that the market has expanded community food programs, increased vendor sales and doubled CalFresh/EBT redemptions since 2023.
The report to the Seaside City Council emphasized the market’s community-food efforts: CalFresh market-match tokens, a FreshRx produce prescription program run with Seaside Family Health Center, edible-education cooking demonstrations, and the USDA-funded Farms Together produce box giveaway. "For every dollar CalFresh shoppers spend, we match it up to $30 a day," said Hester Parker, executive director of Everyone’s Harvest, describing the market-match mechanism that market shoppers use on site.
Council members pressed staff on outreach and program continuity. Councilmember Garcia Rizzo asked what drove the sharp increase in CalFresh use; Parker credited the Farms Together produce-box distribution, routine staff outreach at the market table and a steady social-media effort that repeatedly promotes market match. Parker also said the weekly Farms Together boxes are free to lower-income residents who show EBT, WIC or similar credentials and that the program distributes about 285 boxes per week and has handed out more than 11,000 boxes since last spring. "We were told [the grant] was frozen briefly and then unfrozen; we've been guaranteed funding through 2026 but the extension is uncertain," Parker said when Councilmember Garcia Rizzo asked whether state and federal shifts might affect the program.
Parker reported the market draws roughly 355 weekly visitors and that average farmer sales have increased significantly since 2023; her slides showed FreshRx redemptions rose from about $6,000 in 2023 to roughly $22,000 in 2024. She said FreshRx participants (a 19-week produce-prescription program) have shown improvements on diabetes markers in de-identified program data. Parker said the market purchased more than $300,000 in product from local growers through the Farms Together initiative.
Council members and the mayor pro tem suggested practical steps to boost participation and visibility: clearer signage at the market about EBT/market-match, targeted social-media promotion, and more outreach to CSUMB students and local schools. "If people aren't understanding EBT match, we need a bigger sign on the grass," Mayor Pro Tem Pacheco said. Councilmember Miller suggested more consistent marketing support from the city and noted city-sponsored incentives might increase attendance from general shoppers as well as program participants.
Parker said Everyone’s Harvest remains largely grant-funded and intends to pursue Medi-Cal billing for FreshRx where possible, but that would be contingent on state reimbursement decisions. The organization said it will continue to seek grants and collaborate with Seaside Family Health Center and CSUMB Basic Needs to expand outreach.
Council members praised the market's outreach and recommended staff and the nonprofit continue work on signage, student outreach and contingency planning for the Farms Together grant if state funding changes.
