Pike County ANR   --Success Story April 2020

Suzanne Stumbo, ANR Agent

Pikeville Farmers Market—WIC/SR Vouchers, Double Dollar, & Farmacy Programs.

Pike County has a high percentage of people that are classified as a victim of “Poverty”.  Because of this, we have a much higher percentage of people with health problems due to poor diets (obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and many other health problems).  This along with the fact that the majority or our farmers are classified as new farmers (less than 10 years in Farming).  The market made the decision to start accepting WIC & Senior Vouchers and to become part of the Double Dollars program.  After starting these programs Market was approached by one of our local medical agencies about starting a Farmacy program for their clientele, which is completely funded by them.  The Medical Group comes each Saturday to distribute their own vouchers to their clientele.   Along with this was the decision to invite Family & Consumer Sciences agents and assistants (along with FNEP & NEP representatives at our local office) to come to the market and demonstrate proper cooking and introduce new “healthy” recipes.  Because of these commitments—Extension has 1. Written multiple grants to get funding for the programs and to attain required “match” money for the Double Dollars programs; 2. Attended multiple trainings to meet the requirements for administering the programs; 3. Recruited the Pike County Health Department as a partner for the WIC program distribution; 4. Made the commitment of manpower hours to administer the program; 5. Completed all record keeping for the requirements; 6. Maintained and distributed all Vouchers and facilitated the movement of finances from the grantees to the farmers and vouchers to clientele.  For 2020 season the farmers took in an additional $9,000+ in fruit and vegetable sales and clientele working towards a healthier lifestyle.