Louisiana residents can double their SNAP dollars through the Market Match program when they shop at certain participating retailers in the New Orleans area!
This is a really exciting way to get more food with your food benefits. Most people do not get nearly enough benefits to survive, so we’re always looking for creative ways that you can make the most of yours.
What is Market Match?
Market Match is a dollar-for-dollar matching program. For every dollar in food benefits you spend, you’ll receive another dollar’s worth of free food. That’s basically a 50% discount because you get twice as much food as you pay for.
In that regard, the program operates a lot like Double Up Food Bucks even though it isn’t part of the official nationwide program.
Who can use Market Match?
In order to double your benefits, you have to shop at a participating retailer and receive food benefits from an eligible program.
Currently, this program helps shoppers who are paying with one of the following food benefit programs:
You will need to make sure that you are paying with those benefits in order to receive the double-up dollars.
What retailers offer Market Match?
At this time, Market Match works at the following locations:
- Crescent City Famers Markets
- Top Box Foods Lousiana
- Grow Dat Youth Farm
- River Queen Greens
- New Orleans Food Co-Op
How does Market Match work?
The way the program works will depend on where you shop. After all, the process of picking out vegetables at a farmer’s market is very different than ordering a box from a CSA.
At Crescent City Market, you’ll need to go to the Welcome Tent to get started. You’ll swipe your EBT card for however much you want to spend that day. The representative will give you purple and blue tokens for the amount you spent. You can take those tokens to purchase any EBT-eligible products at the market. You’ll also receive an equal amount of red and black tokens that can only be spent on fresh, locally-grown fruits, vegetables and food-bearing plant starts. You don’t have to pay for those extra tokens; that’s the point of Market Match!
You can also choose to use these benefits when you shop online at Top Box Foods Louisiana for home delivery. You can purchase any of the SNAP-eligible products that they offer. You’ll get a 50% discount on your purchase.
At Grow Dat Youth Farm, River Queen Greens and New Orleans Food Co-Op, you can get 50% off your purchase price when you shop with EBT. That’s because it makes more sense for these retailers to offer you a half-off discount up front than to work with the dollar-matching tokens offered by the farmer’s market.
Are there limits?
Usually, the Market Match program only allows you to double up to $20 in benefits per day at the market. However, they announced that starting January 2023 they will allow unlimited dollar-for-dollar matching at all Markets and partner locations.
What is Market Umbrella?
Market Umbrella is the nonprofit that operates the Crescent City Farmers Markets. This organization coordinates the Market Match program as well.
This organization has also partnered with the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine to provide hands-on cooking classes for families and individuals who participate in the doubling program. These classes are designed for adults but welcome participants who are at least 8 years old. If you’d like to take a nutrition or cooking class, you can register with their Registration Form.
Don’t forget your EBT discounts!
You can get more than just free produce with your EBT card! We’ve found some truly incredible EBT discounts in Louisiana, too!
Summary
The Louisiana Market Match program helps low income shoppers in Louisiana get even more food with their food benefits. The program allows you to get extra food at the Crescent City Farmers Market, as well as select Co-Ops and farms throughout the area when you shop with EBT or other food benefits.
Nicole Thelin
Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.