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Resident credits Bridging the Gap SNAP token program with getting family to the Richmond farmers market
Summary
At the December Parks and Recreation Board meeting, resident Lucas Gosnell credited the Bridging the Gap program and doubled SNAP tokens at the farmers market with improving access to fresh food for his SSI-dependent relatives and bringing new customers and revenue to vendors.
At the Richmond Parks and Recreation Board's December meeting, resident Lucas Gosnell described how the Bridging the Gap program and doubled SNAP tokens at the farmers market have helped his family and other residents access fresh, local food.
"This is essentially free money," Gosnell said, describing how he persuaded his father and uncle, both SSI recipients, to come to the market and try new foods. He said the experience increased his uncle's mobility and gave his household more choices at the point of purchase. Gosnell said the program's combination of incentives and vendor outreach made a meaningful difference to households on tight budgets.
Denise and other staff thanked Gosnell and acknowledged partner organizations named in the meeting: UEA and Reed Health (Reed Community Engagement). Denise told the board that the Bridging the Gap program brought new visitors to the market, helped vendors by increasing customer flow, and will continue through the end of the year.
Board members and staff also discussed operational matters for the market, including vendor counts and planning for the busy holiday Saturdays. No formal board action was recorded on the program during the meeting; the item was presented as a public comment and staff report.
The testimony illustrates the local impact of SNAP-token incentives: staff noted both resident access benefits and vendor income effects when reporting the Bridging the Gap program results to the board.
