Laserfiche WebLink
at $337.79. Staff is working on a proposal for the LCRA to request additional funding for the <br />POP Club due to its success. <br /> <br />Next year staff hopes to obtain sponsorship for a POP+ token, which would give seniors 60+ a <br />$3 token one Monday a month. Most of the participants at the Little Canada Farmers Market are <br />approximately 60+, so staff believes this would be a great addition to the Market. <br /> <br />If the Commissioner knows of anyone who may be interested in sponsoring either the POP or <br />POP+ Club we encourage any leads to be forwarded to the Recreation Coordinator or share the <br />link to the Sponsorship Opportunities package on the city website. <br /> <br />MARKETING <br />Staff marketed the Farmers Market in a variety of ways. The Market Manager/Recreation <br />Coordinator posted to Facebook at least once each Monday as a reminder for the Market. As a <br />reminder, the Little Canada Farmers Market has its own Facebook page! From this account, Staff <br />also created an event page that sends reminders on Market days. Staff also handed out flyers to <br />local businesses, schools (to promote the Power of Produce Club), apartment complexes, and <br />senior living centers. Facebook interactions varied, but the average number of interactions per <br />post was about 230, with a high of 1,763. Next year staff will allocate funds for ‘boosting’ either <br />posts or events to hopefully gain more participants. NineNorth created an updated promotional <br />video to add to the City’s website, which highlighted the vendors, the Supplemental Nutrition <br />Assistance Program with electronic Benefit Transfer cards (a.k.a. SNAP/EBT), and the POP <br />Club. <br /> <br />SNAP/EBT <br />This was the second year the City used $1 SNAP/EBT tokens. These tokens could be purchased <br />from the City’s booth with a card reader that was obtained from Ramsey County through a grant. <br />Tokens could be used to purchase fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, honey <br />and maple products, jams, jellies, pickles and sauces, baked goods, seeds, and plants that produce <br />food. <br /> <br />Staff would like to thank Ramsey County, especially Franny Clary-Leiferman, for their <br />assistance in receiving grant funds last year to introduce SNAP/EBT to the Market. The City <br />wanted to utilize SNAP/EBT at the Market to promote equity and create a more accessible <br />market reducing barriers. Everyone must have access to fresh, local food! <br /> <br />Staff also applied to receive Market Bucks and Produce Bucks from Hunger Solutions: <br />“Hunger Solutions Minnesota works to end hunger in our state. We take action to assure <br />food security for all Minnesotans by supporting programs and agencies that provide food <br />to those in need…”- hungersolutions.org. <br /> <br />Because of this partnership, the Little Canada Farmers Market was able to triple SNAP/EBT <br />users’ Farmers Market spending (up to $10). Example: A visitor could purchase $10 worth of <br />EBT Tokens. Staff would then add $10 Market Bucks and $10 Produce Bucks to their total <br />spending, giving them an additional $20 to spend on farm-fresh staple foods. Market Bucks can <br />be spent the same way a SNAP/EBT token can be spent, and Produce Bucks can only be spent