Support Bay Area Families and Local Farms During the Shutdown

November 6, 2025

Keep our farmers market community thriving by providing food assistance to SNAP participants in need.

The disruption in SNAP benefits caused by the government shutdown has created a crisis for 41 million Americans who rely on food assistance, including 112,000 San Francisco residents. It has also been an economic hit to small local farms. At Foodwise farmers markets, SNAP participants spend $7,500 in benefits on average each week on fresh food from local farms and food producers.

Farmers markets help low-income families who depend on SNAP put fresh, nutritious food on the table, and double their food dollars through the Market Match program. Equally important, small California family farms depend on shoppers who use SNAP and Market Match at the farmers market. Farmers receive upwards of 90% on the dollar at the farmers market vs. 15% at grocery stores.

To meet the needs of our community during the shutdown, Foodwise is providing $15 in food assistance vouchers for SNAP participants who have insufficient funds to spend at the farmers market, once per market. Your tax-deductible donation will go directly into our food assistance fund to support SNAP participants in need.

Like you, we believe fresh, healthy food is a right for everyone, not a privilege. Thank you for keeping our Bay Area community nourished and our local farms thriving!

Are you a SNAP shopper in need of food assistance? Learn more about our Food Assistance Vouchers here.

Topics: Food access, Food justice