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Local Farm Bucks, gleaning and neighbor-to-neighbor efforts highlighted as part of island food security
Summary
Vashon growers and partners described Farm Bucks (a local voucher program that distributed roughly $60,000 this year), past gleaning programs, and neighborhood exchanges as complementary strategies to support food access on the island.
At the VMCC meeting, Merilee Runyon described Viga Farm Bucks—a homegrown voucher currency distributed through partner agencies, the library and the farmers market. Runyon said the program put about $60,000 into the community this year and that farm vendors receive 100% of Farm Bucks payments.
Panelists also reviewed past gleaning projects (coordinate volunteers to harvest surplus crops) and noted funding instability has made those efforts intermittent. Participants suggested potential processing options—dehydration or preserve facilities—that could turn seasonal abundance into year-round shelf-stable foods for distribution.
