A wide cross section of islanders, from seniors to working families and children, even farmers themselves, are having to try to ignore their rumbling aching bellies as food insecurity grows in the community.

“More families are suffering, and it has only gotten worse since COVID,” Jeff Johnson, Farmers Market board president, said. The high cost of living on the island, lack of affordable housing, seasonal work and low-paying jobs all factor in the issue. The high cost of living, Samantha DeChristopher, Market Manager of the San Juan Island Farmers Market, cautioned, will not come down on its own and will only continue to grow.

The Nourish to Flourish Coalition, (Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center, SJ County Health and Community Services, SJI Farmers Market, Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor, Mullis Community Senior Center, the Friday Harbor Food Bank and the Rotary Club of SJI. ) armed with the Fresh Bucks program, is attempting to get not just food to those in need, but nutrient packed locally grown food.

There are federal programs to help, however, DeChristopher explained that access to funding and the Electronic Benifit Transfer can prove difficult, and there is not a local office for people to walk in and ask questions.

Fresh Bucks was started as a way to assist both farmers and those with food insecurity. Fresh Bucks helps those who receive SNAP, WIC, or live at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level buy more nutritious food on the island, according to Kristen Rezabek, San Juan County Health and Community Services Health and Nutrition Coordinator. Those qualifying are given $40 a week to spend at the farmers’ market between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The recipients are able to buy locally grown healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables, bread, meats, and eggs, while the farmers are able to increase their customer base while continuing to sell products at a fair rate. Fresh Bucks recipients are also able to buy food-producing seeds and plant starts.

“It’s a win win,” DeChristopher said. “It has helped farmers get back to a [pre-COVID] baseline, and at the same time enabled people to shop locally who otherwise might not have.”

“The first time I gave Fresh Bucks to, she started to cry, saying ‘You mean I can buy meat and eggs with this too?’ She had not been able to buy either for a long time,” Johnson said.

In 2024 alone, there were 192 households and 318 people enrolled in the Fresh Bucks program, according to Rezabek, and $28,000 was spent on locally grown, fresh foods and supporting island farmers. Johnson noted each farmer sold an additional $6,000 they may otherwise not have. According to DeChristopher, farmers participating in the program have reported selling out of their products at the market.

To monitor how Fresh Bucks is working, a survey was done.

“Per our client survey (24 clients) 83% of clients were able to afford and eat more locally grown foods” Rezabek said, adding that the remaining 17% enrolled in the program but then did not for some reason understand how to use their Fresh Bucks benefits so did not visit the Farmers Market. ‘That helps us know for next year to do multiple methods to connect as for some they may have an email go to junk or got lost in their email inbox.”

A majority, 65%, of the clients shopped weekly at the market, however, the system isn’t perfect, as 68% reported it was easy to use their Fresh Bucks at the market.

Overall, the feedback has been positive, with recipients reporting, “[FreshBucks] let me purchase farm-fresh food and support my local farmers while eating healthier!!”

“[Fresh Bucks gave me] the ability to afford more local meat!”

“Getting to buy quality local food that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford.”

And “The amazing healthy food we had access to every week.”

Several loved the win-win aspect of Fresh Bucks, with one saying they loved “Getting to access local foods, and support farmers at the same time!” and another saying, “I was able to afford to eat way more locally produced food that I love to eat and support my community farmers. Really cool!”

Seeing the rising demand, the coalition is working to make Fresh Bucks available year-round. A fundraising drive to come up with $75,000 this March is in progress. For those wishing to donate or to learn more about the program, visit https://www.nourishtoflourishwa.org/ or https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24702/freshbucks?bidId=.

“We want the farmers to flourish,” Johnson said. “They are doing so much for our community. If we can help them in any way, that is the goal.”