By: Tracey Peterson, Community Programs Manager
One of my favorite parts of working at the Edmonds Food Bank is spending Saturdays at the Edmonds Museum Summer Market. Each week, we get to support our SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) community by providing an opportunity to shop at the market using their EBT benefits. There’s something special about helping families access fresh, local food and knowing we’re part of a system that truly makes a difference.
In 2023, Edmonds Food Bank partnered with the Edmonds Historical Museum to bring SNAP to the Summer Market. While many farmers markets are SNAP-authorized, the Edmonds Museum Summer Market is different as it is not a traditional farmers market. It serves as the museum’s primary fundraiser, with booth rentals helping to support its exhibits, programs, and operations. Because of its unique structure, it wasn’t eligible to directly accept SNAP benefits. That’s where we saw an opportunity for partnership.
Now, SNAP recipients can visit the Edmonds Food Bank booth at the market to swipe their EBT cards in exchange for tokens, which work like EBT at a grocery store and can be used to buy eligible food items. Thanks to the state-funded Washington Market Match program, customers can receive up to $25 in additional dollars, essentially doubling their purchasing power for fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.
In just one year, we saw a 285% increase in the amount of SNAP dollars that went into the Edmonds Museum Summer Market from 2023 to 2024. Even more striking, in just the first month of this year’s market, we’ve already seen an 85% increase over the same period last year. These numbers reflect growing community need, and growing community trust.
The joy of hearing how these benefits are helping families bring fresh, nutritious food home makes every Saturday at the market special. Just last week, one of our customers shared how they were able to buy purple asparagus for the first time in years, thanks to the Market Match program. Stories like that are why we show up, rain or shine.
Why You May Have Seen SNAP in the News Lately
Unfortunately, SNAP has been in the headlines recently due to proposed changes in federal legislation. If passed as it currently stands, the “Big, Beautiful Bill” includes a $300 billion cut to SNAP nationwide. This would affect more than 900,000 Washingtonians, many of whom could see their benefits reduced or eliminated entirely.
The current average SNAP benefit is about $6 per person per day. A reduction of even $1 per day would make a major impact on households already stretched thin.
These proposed changes will ripple out and directly affect food banks like ours. As benefits are reduced, we anticipate an increase in the number of people coming to us for help, some for the first time, others more often. And while we’re ready to show up for our community, these shifts are a sobering reminder of how vital SNAP is in creating a food secure community.
What It All Means
Our role at the market isn’t just about tokens and transactions, it’s about advocacy, dignity, and access. It’s about meeting people where they are and giving them the tools to make the best choices for themselves and their families. As the future of SNAP hangs in the balance, our work becomes even more essential.
We’re proud to be part of a creative solution that allows SNAP benefits to be used at a beloved community event like the Edmonds Museum Summer Market. It’s just one more way to fulfill our mission, nourishing our community with food, hope, and connection.
