SNAP is back at Winchester Farmers Market for a second year. SNAP, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides benefits to people in need to put food on the table. This year, the program is needed more than ever, with more people facing food insecurity from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Winchester Savings Bank stepped in with a grant to hire interns to administer the program and pay for a banner. Each week, one of four interns – Sophie Farnhill, Alister Correia, Griffin Correia, and Colin Norton – will be at the manager’s tent at the entrance to the market. Qualified shoppers can stop by to pick up tokens for shopping. In addition, they can get up to $10 in matching funds from Anna’s Fund.

In an effort to reach more people, Winchester Farmers Market made informational cards available in multiple languages (Spanish, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole) through organizations in the neighboring towns like Woburn, Medford, and Stoneham as well as Winchester. These include WIC, food pantries, churches, school lunch programs, housing authorities, Council for Social Concern, Councils on Aging, and Boys and Girls Club of Woburn, Headstart in Woburn, Medford Family Network, and Mystic Community Market.

SNAP recipients benefit the farmers market by increasing the number of customers and supporting local farmers.