HAWAII ISLAND — With a grant from the state, Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council (HCEOC) launched the Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) on the Big Island last week. Low-income seniors and disabled persons can now access free fresh produce grown in Hawaii at 14 authorized farmer’s markets around the island using special coupons.
Eligible residents can apply for a coupon book containing 10 $5 coupons good toward fresh produce, herbs or locally grown honey at no cost honored now through Sept. 30. Vendors participating at each market display signs stating their authorization to redeem the SFMNP coupons.
To qualify for the coupon book, residents must be at least 60 years old, Native Americans at least 55 years old, or disabled individuals less than 60 years old with income eligibility maximum household income of 185 percent or below the U.S. Federal Poverty guidelines.
“SFMNP will allow up to 2018 participants to participate, as determined by the state,” Eddie Yokoyama said, farm manager for HCEOC, who rolled out the program. “It’s a very simple application. The first coupons were sent out last Tuesday, along with a list of the farmers markets and nutrition information.”
Four markets and one farm in Waimea are participating: Waimea Town Market, Kamuela Farmers Market, Waimea Homestead Farmers’ Market and Kekela Farms. Hamakua Harvest Farmers’ Market in Honokaa and Laupahoehoe Farmers’ Market are also accepting the coupons. Hawi Farmers Market confirmed on Tuesday.
Further down the coast, markets signed up include Kona Sunset Farmers’ Market, Keauhou Farmers’ Market and Pure Green Market in Captain Cook. On the east side of the island, the coupons can be used at Hilo Farmers’ Market, Kinoole Farmers’ Market, Nanawale Farmers’ Market and Dimple Cheek Farmers’ Market.
“The farmers are reimbursed for the face value of the coupon from HCECO and the state reimburses us directly,” Yokoyama said. “Each market carries similar produce, such as papayas, cucumbers, tomatoes, different lettuces, lychee and others.”
He met with contacts at the farmers markets throughout June to confirm participants, some as late as last week.
“It’s a great community effort and we’ve gotten such positive feedback from the markets,” Yokoyama said. “We’re also doing outreach to senior housing complexes so they can make applications available to their residents. And we’re going to make applications available at nutrition sites in senior centers in Kona too.”
The program isn’t new to the state.
“It has been going on for many years through The Food Basket,” Yokoyama said. “They distributed the fresh produce themselves. This coupon program is new to this island but it has been done in Honolulu in the past.”
Paul Johnston, manager of Waimea Town Market and owner of Kekela Farms, was contacted by Yokoyama several weeks ago.
“I agreed to participate immediately. I think this is a win/win for both the low-income seniors and the farmers,” he said. “I hope they will expand to other products at the markets in the future, such as cheese.”
Stacy Aurway, who runs the Kamuela Farmers Market and owns Makua Coffee Company, has connected Yokoyama with her vendors.
“We think it’s a great program. We’re very excited to be involved. Nakamoto Farms, Tess’s Garden, Alma’s Garden, Real Farm and Big Island Moonbow Farms started participating last Saturday. We hope they will expand food to include bread, eggs and meat too,” she said.
Roann Okumura, operations director of Parks &Recreations Elderly Activities Division, is helping distribute the applications.
“We’re going to do announcements at the senior centers and the nutrition sites around the island,” she said. “We will also make the applications available there, and help seniors fill them out. English is often their second language.”
Applications for the coupon books are available at HCEOC’s Hilo office or online at www.hceoc.net/forms. The address where they must be mailed to at the state’s Office of Community Services (OCS) in Honolulu is listed on the form.
Info or questions: Call 586-8675 or email dlir.ocs@hawaii.gov, for Elderly Services assistance call 961-8777