In October 2023, Sustainable Food Center traveled to Brownsville, Texas to strengthen our partnership with Brownsville Wellness Coalition as part of the expansion of Double Up Food Bucks Texas into the Rio Grande Valley. On the visit, we learned from leaders in the food system about challenges and solutions to equitable access to fresh, local food in the region.
SFC Strengthens Partnerships to Expand Double Up Food Bucks Texas in the Rio Grande Valley
Anna-Kay Reeves, Multimedia Communications Specialist
Austin to Brownsville
Sustainable Food Center (SFC) is committed to uplifting community voices as we expand Double Up Food Bucks Texas (DUFB TX) statewide. DUFB TX, a program led by SFC, increases access to fresh, local food by doubling SNAP benefits for fruits and vegetables at participating locations. For SFC, community and equity are more than keywords. They are core values and principles that guide how we work to transform the food system. We talk with communities and listen carefully to local experts so DUFB TX can meet the unique needs of each community where the program is offered.
SFC visited Brownsville, Texas in late October 2023 to learn firsthand about challenges to accessing fresh, local food in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). Our key partner in the region is Brownsville Wellness Coalition (BWC). BWC manages the BWC Farmers’ Market in Brownsville and promotes community wellness with a focus on health and nutrition equity. SFC partners with BWC because their health equity work is essential in a community like Brownsville that faces disproportionate levels of poverty and food insecurity. In Brownsville, 27.3% of households receive SNAP benefits, more than double the national average of 12.6%. This makes DUFB TX an important resource to help people in Brownsville afford fresh, local food.
The BWC Farmers’ Market is a participating DUFB TX location, expanding food access in the RGV by doubling SNAP benefits for fresh fruits and vegetables. When we visited the market, we met Ahida, who shops with SNAP. She shared, “[Double Up Food Bucks Texas] is important for me and my family. I see a lot of different products that are not at the grocery stores and the flavors are just different. It is an amazing program that I am very happy that they brought it to the community.” By increasing SNAP customers’ purchasing power for locally grown fruits and vegetables in the RGV, DUFB TX moves the needle toward more equitable access to healthy, local food.
Stronger Together
At the same time DUFB TX encourages people to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, the program also supports the livelihood of small and midsize producers in the RGV. By increasing demand for locally grown produce through DUFB TX, local farmers have the opportunity to make more money. BWC Farmers’ Market vendor Zulema shared, “[Double Up Food Bucks Texas] helps people buy organic. It gives people double benefits for their SNAP so then more people can buy fruits and vegetables from us. They earn and we earn. We get help and they get help. Them as buyers and us as sellers - We help each other.” These lived experiences of the positive impact of DUFB TX show that existing program sites are working, and encourage us to expand to more locations in the region.
What’s In Store
DUFB TX isn’t just for farmers’ markets. We want to make sure everyone can get fresh food at convenient locations. During our visit, we connected with the Brownsville community at another food access point and potential DUFB TX location, Chavez Grocery.
Chavez Grocery accepts SNAP benefits and stocks local produce from a nearby farm, nourishing the health of consumers as well as the land and livelihoods of local food producers. Like Zulema, Chavez Grocery owner Sra. Maria Chavez sees the mutual benefits of participating in DUFB TX for her store and customers: “A mí me gustaría que todo esto trabajara bien para poder yo ayudar a los demás. Pues a toda la comunidad. Con estos programas cuando trabaja si se ayuda a la comunidad. / I would like all this to work well so I can help others. Even the whole community. With these programs when they work, they do help the community.”
By building trust and working with small, local grocers like Sra. Chavez, DUFB TX strengthens community stores, drives the purchase of local produce, and increases consumer access to and consumption of fresh, local food. That’s a triple win! SFC is grateful to BWC and the RGV farmers and ranchers who continue to guide our understanding of food access and nutrition needs in the region. We look forward to sharing the positive impact DUFB TX has on the RGV’s health, land, and livelihood.
Are you a Texas grocer interested in becoming a DUFB TX participating retailer? Learn more about the program and how you can do your part to increase equitable access to sustainable food.