WSU King County Food $ense

Just a few weeks until market season starts! Check out how you can make the most of your food dollar at the Renton Farmers Market!

Did you know?

The Renton Farmers Market participates in three programs to help increase access to these local, healthy foods we all love. If you recieve SNAP benefits, you can use your EBT card and DOUBLE your bucks - up to $40 each market day. Our farmers also accept the Senior and the Women, Infants and Children Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks.

These programs are a win-win - those in need are able to purchase local foods, and more money is put in the pockets of our Washington farmers.

Making your own delicious, nourishing, and healthy vegetable broth is easier than you think! Check out this recipe from Food Hero that uses veggie scraps you might otherwise throw away or compost 💚🧡💛

We are celebrating National Soup Month! Try making your own vegetable broth with our new Kitchen Scraps Vegetable Broth recipe! It's a great way to get another use from veggie scraps.

https://www.foodhero.org/recipes/kitchen-scraps-vegetable-broth

NOVEMBER EMERGENCY ALLOTMENTS UPDATE: Good news! DSHS has received federal approval to provide extra food benefits up to the maximum allowed for each household for November 2021.

If you normally receive your food benefits Nov. 1 - 2, you will see the emergency allotment amount on your EBT card Nov. 2.

If you normally receive your food benefits between Nov. 3 – 20, you will receive the full amount on your regular issuance date.

DSHS will continue to request future federal emergency allotments on a month-by-month basis.

USDA Food and Nutrition Service determined households with a usual benefit amount of $0 are not eligible for emergency maximum allotments. If you have questions about your specific food benefits case, please call 877-501-2233.

It's pumpkin time! Check out these great recipe ideas and info about the official vegetable of October below!

Even though our Healthy Kids Corner activities at the Renton Farmers Market and Tukwila Village Farmers Market are over for the season, these markets--and many more--are still open for another month! Get your local shopping and SNAP Market Match on while you still can!!

Questions about using SNAP/EBT at the farmers market? Watch the video below for a quick intro to how it works!

How SNAP Market Match Works Increasing SNAP Benefits at WA Farmers Markets: At more than 100 participating farmers markets and farm stands, customers who use the Supplemental Nutrition ...

Happy Farmers Market Week!! Most Farmers Markets in South King County accept SNAP/EBT and offer SNAP Market Match, which allows you to double your EBT money at the market and buy more fresh, healthy, delicious fruits and veggies! 🌽🍎🍒🥬🥒

Come visit us today at the Tukwila Village Farmers Market where we'll be giving out fun take-home activity packets for youth and a prize! 4-7pm right by the Tukwila Library at 14350 Tukwila International Blvd, Tukwila, WA 98168

Skyway friends!! Have you heard of the Urban Food Systems Pact? They've been working so hard over the past year to make sure everyone in Skyway gets the healthy food they need to grow and thrive. Check out their new website to learn more! 💚

From their website: "Attend the Skyway Food Distribution Every Saturday!
10:00am-12:00pm
12643 Renton Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98178

Our weekly, drive-through, free food distribution is on Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 12 noon, in the parking lot behind New Birth Center for Community Inclusion, 12643 Renton Ave S. (across from the Skyway Library), we can’t wait to see you!"

🚨Important info about August Basic Food benefits!!🚨

AUGUST FOOD BENEFITS UPDATE: Great news! DSHS is approved to provide extra food benefits up to the maximum allowed (including the temporary 15% increase) for each household for August 2021.

If you normally receive your food benefits Aug. 1 - 2, you will see the emergency allotment amount on your EBT card Aug. 3. If you normally receive your food benefits between Aug. 3 – 20, you will receive the full amount on your regular issuance date.

DSHS will continue to request future federal emergency allotments on a month-by-month basis.

The maximum Basic Food issuance amount per household, including the temporary 15% increase, is:
$234 – 1-person
$430 – 2-person
$616 – 3-person
$782 – 4-person
$929 – 5-person
$1114 – 6-person
$1232 – 7-person
$1408 – 8-person
$1584 – 9-person
$1760 – 10-person
and $176 for each additional household member.

USDA Food and Nutrition Service determined households with a usual benefit amount of $0 are not eligible for emergency maximum allotments. If you have questions about your specific food benefits case, please call 877-501-2233.

It's market day in Renton! Stop by the Renton Farmers Market today for fresh, local, and super healthy food! The market is open Tuesdays from 3:00-7:00pm and accepts WIC, SFMNP, EBT/SNAP and SNAP Market Match (that means SNAP shoppers can double your money at the farmers market!). We'll be there at the Healthy Kids Corner passing out take-home nutrition education activity kits for youth, so stop by and see us!

A strong and accessible public transit system is essential to healthy living in our community--so people can get to and from grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, parks, schools, libraries, and workplaces easily. Shout out to the young leaders in Youth for Equitable Streets who created this video to share more about their experiences using transit in South King County!

"We believe youth have the right to access safe and affordable transportation connecting them to their communities. Systemic racism, misogynistic harassment, and economic disparity are barriers to accessing public transit and are problems we must commit to eliminating in our transportation systems today and every day."

Youth for Equitable Streets--Youth Perspectives on Transit

Please join our friends in the Healthy King County Coalition Food Access & Equity Workgroup next week for a live virtual storytelling event focusing on the advocacy behind the Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax!

Ever wondered what the SBT was all about or where the tax dollars go? RSVP for the event today to hear more about how community fought for and helped create policy that funds critical food access programs and helps thousands of families put healthy food on the table!

RSVP at: https://forms.gle/uDusnFyhzMWQpDs5A