Menomonie Market Receives Grant

Menomonie Market Food Co-op has received a grant from The Micah Fund, a fund of The Community Foundation of Dunn County. The $3000 award will further support the co-op's Double Dollars food access program, which incentivizes FoodShare participants to purchase more fresh fruits and vegetables. Any customer using their FoodShare card to buy fruits or vegetables any Tuesday receives a voucher to match up to $10 to be redeemed for fruits or vegetables on their next visit.

The Double Dollars program launched in late 2018 and was funded entirely by customers rounding up their purchases to the next higher dollar amount. The grant from the foundation will fully support the growth of Double Dollars for 2019 with 100% of the grant funds being passed directly to FoodShare participants to double the fruits and vegetables they may purchase.

MMFC General Manager Crystal Halvorson observed "we are already seeing a change in the receipts of the customers participating in the program - more fruits and vegetables  purchased, and more visits to the co-op to redeem the vouchers for free produce. Eating healthy on a budget is not easy, and we offer great tips on using the produce and bulk sections of the store to create healthy meals that taste great and are easy to prepare. We look foward to the growth of the program not just for the participants but as a way to educate the whole community that eating healthy can be affordable."