The Market Match program has launched for its second year at the Lawrence Farmers Market and Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market.

Market Match is a dollar-for-dollar matching program that will match Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (food stamps) spent at participating farmers markets.

The program provides matching funds up to $25 per day. For example, a family that spends $25 of their SNAP benefits at one market would receive $50 in market tokens to use at the various vendor booths for SNAP-eligible foods like fresh vegetables and meats.

Families who want to take advantage of the program can bring their SNAP Vision card to the information tent at the farmers markets and let a market staffer know how much they want to spend. Market Match provides up to $25 in tokens, but families can spend as much of their own money as they like.

In addition to the Lawrence markets, Market Match will soon expand to other Douglas County communities, as well as outside the county, to help more Kansans access healthy, local foods. The Market Match website will feature the most current information on the program’s expansion throughout the season.

The Lawrence Farmers Market is from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturdays and 4-6 p.m. Tuesdays at 8th and New Hampshire streets. Cottin’s Farmers Market is 4-6:30 p.m. Thursdays behind Cottin’s Hardware Store at 19th and Massachusetts Street.

Funding for this program is provided by the city of Lawrence, the Topeka Community Foundation, the Kansas Health Foundation and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

For the most current information on participating markets, as well as more information on the program, visit MarketMatchKS.org.