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Pacific Coast Fanners Market Association Page 7 Fostering Community Benefit through the Farmers' Market: In addition to the direct role that PCFMA plays in its farmers' markets — through onsite market managers that ensure safety and regulatory compliance, its marketing team that promotes the market and designs special events, and its chefs who demonstrate recipes using fanners' market produce — is the indirect benefit that comes through PCFMA's partnering organizations. Chief among those partners is Fresh Approach. In April 2008, PCFMA created Fresh Approach — an independent 501c3 organization with the mission to encourage healthier children, families and communities through community education, innovative programming and novel partnerships that promote a stronger local food system and better - informed choices about food and nutrition. PCFMA partners with Fresh Approach on community education efforts that encompass nutrition, preparation, storage, food safety, production, and security. Together PCFMA and Fresh Approach support the Cookin' the Market program with PCFMA taking the lead during the spring and summer when farmers' markets are full and bustling and Fresh Approach taking the lead during the fall and winter when weather and the seasonal change of products available in the markets lead to smaller numbers of farmers and shoppers. While Fresh Approach is an independent organization, the close ties, common goals, and shared history of the two organizations often result in a close partnership between the two organizations in communities in which PCFMA operates farrners' markets. In the coming years the efforts of Fresh Approach in the local community will be an additional benefit to San Leandro residents. Expanding Access to Fresh Food by Families on Public Assistance While PCFMA, as a matter of policy, accepts public benefits in all of its farmers' markets, there are often other barriers that prevent those who receive public benefits from shopping their local farmers' market. The Extra Five program that Fresh Approach is operating seeks to overcome those barriers and encourage families that rely upon public benefits to join with their friends and neighbors in shopping their local farmers' market. Fresh Approach's Extra Five program begins by informing families on public assistance that their benefits can be used at farmers' markets. This effort, which relies on the partnership of local community -based groups such as WIC agencies and child care centers, puts lists of farmers' markets in the hands of low- income families who might not otherwise consider visiting a farmers' market. In addition to this information campaign, the Extra Five program offers food stamp recipients a special incentive: Spend at least $10 in SNAP (food stamps) at the market, and receive $5 for free to spend at the market. For a family on a limited budget, an extra $5 in food a week can make an incredible difference. The Extra Five program launched at the Downtown San Leandro Farmers' Market in June 2010. During the 2010 season, the Downtown San Leandro Farmers' Market processed $2,031 dollars in EBT, an increase of 153% from the $801 redeemed during the 2009 season. This represents over $1,200 dollars in healthy food going to local residents and dozens of visits to downtown San Leandro that might not have occurred without the incentive program in place. Through the support of Roots of Change, Fresh Approach has the funding to continue the Extra Five program in the Downtown San Leandro Farmers' Market, and other Alameda County farmers' markets, in 2011. Active fund raising will also seek to maintain support for this program in 2012 and beyond. Teaching Basic Cooking and Nutrition Skills to Families in Need In addition to opening up access to fresh and nutritious food, Fresh Approach works to assist low- income families through its Cooking Matters program which instructs them on how best to make use of that food to prepare meals for their family despite a limited budget. Cooking Matters (formerly known as Operation Frontline) was created in 1993 by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood hunger. Share Our Strength works with local nonprofits in 25 cities around the country to implement the Cooking Matters curricula. On January I, 2010, PCFMA and Fresh Approach became .