Camas Farmer’s Market earns New Seasons grant

The Camas Farmer’s Market was one of 29 non-profit organizations to recently receive a grant from New Seasons Market.

According to Camas Farmer’s Market board member Carrie Schulstad, the $2,000 grant will be used as matching funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, in an effort to increase access to fresh, healthy foods for low-income families receiving assistance. It would be the first S.N.A.P. match program in Clark County.

The S.N.A.P. program allows consumers to purchase farmers market items with electronic benefit transfer cards.

According to the grant application, the project would provide matching S.N.A.P. tokens up to $5 per week for an average of 15 S.N.A.P. customers per week during each of the 18 weeks of the Camas Farmer’s Market season.

The New Seasons Market Grant Fund is fed by a portion of the sales of the company’s private label product line. The fund has distributed $364,000 to organizations across the Portland and Vancouver metro area since its founding in 2006.

“Giving back is part of our DNA, and we are particularly passionate about creating a vital regional food economy that connects our region’s food producers to the community,” said Claudia Knotek, New Seasons Market community relations manager. “We are proud to support the work of our grantees who are not only building a sustainable and vibrant local food marketplace, but helping to promote food security, good nutrition and economic stability.”

In addition to Camas, other local organizations to receive the grant funding included the Salmon Creek and Vancouver farmers markets.

Founded in 2000, New Seasons Market opened its first Vancouver location in Fisher’s Landing off of 164th Avenue in 2011.

The next season of the Camas Farmer’s Market runs on Wednesdays, from June 13 to Oct. 10, from 3 to 7:30 p.m., in front of the Camas Public Library, 625 N.E. Fourth Ave.

For more information, visit www.camasfarmersmarket.org.