Community Connections Through SNAP at Farmers Markets

The Texas Center for Local Food (TCLF) partners with the Brownsville Wellness Coalition (BWC) in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas on TCLF's SNAP Ed project, “A Fresh Look at Your Farmers Market.” BWC is a trusted and well-connected community-based organization that cultivates healthy food and lifestyles.

For “A Fresh Look at Your Farmers Market,” BWC collaborates with community organizations that serve SNAP-eligible families to increase the awareness of SNAP acceptance at farmers markets in Cameron County, where over 33% of households participate in SNAP.

BWC collaborated with the Friendship of Women, Inc., a center for the prevention of family violence and sexual assault that also connects families to available food benefits opportunities. Step one of the collaboration was starting a shuttle service to the Brownsville Farmers Market to remove the transportation barrier for families who wanted to shop at the market. Step two was providing farmers market tours to welcome new shoppers and to share about how to use SNAP and the Double Up SNAP matching program at the market.

Next, BWC and the Friendship of Women held a special event at the Brownsville Farmers Market on March 8, 2025 for International Women’s Day to celebrate the farmers market as a safe space for families. The market hosted 20 community organizations providing resources and offered an allowance for children to shop the market. Give-aways included rainbow carrots from local urban farms.

Blossoming community relationships like these are the heart of TCLF’s partnership with BWC to increase the awareness of SNAP acceptance at farmers markets and to make farmers markets welcoming to shoppers.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- SNAP.