Lois Capps visits Paso’s first kids’ farmers’ market
Food band launches program for children to take home fresh produce
United States Rep. Lois Capps visited North County Friday, the first day that the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County held its pilot Kids’ Farmers Market in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club in Paso Robles. Eighty-five children in the club’s afterschool program were given $10 Food Bank dollars to spend on fresh produce, much of which was gleaned from within the county.
“It was really fun because you get to experience what farmers’ market is like,” said Roni Smith, 11.
The pilot program in Paso Robles is the third in the county, the first two in South County. Food Bank CEO Wendy Lewis said that the Food Bank plans to launch it countywide in the near future. She said that there are pockets of the population that do not have access to farmers’ market. For some it’s financial and although North County Farmers’ Markets did take EBT, it no longer does. For others, they are lack the transportation or itme to get there. Lewis said some families have to make the decisions on how to make the food money stretch, so sometimes it means that fresh produce loses out to cheaper packaged food.
“Today, each child should go home with 20 pounds of produce, some gleaned right here in the county,” Lewis said. “We’re going to try to do this monthly once we secure our partner.”
Capps greeted and chatted with the children as they shopped, the youngsters telling Capps what their favorite item is. Capps herself marveled at the size of the red bell peppers gleaned from a farm in Arroyo Grande.
“It looks like this is going really well,” Capps said. “Ten dollars is going very far. I’m so pleased to see this. I can’t believe it’s brand new.”
In addition to the kids’ farmers’ market, Lewis said that the organization is also working on a similar program for seniors. So far there is one site in San Luis Obispo, but the nonprofit is seeking a site in North County. The farmers’ market not only gives out food, but it also offers other resources, such as Champions for Chamber volunteers from Cal Poly — nutrition seniors — sharing nutriiton information through games. The children were able to earn more Food Bank dollars to buy more food by playing the games.
Lewis said that by the children taking home the fresh produce, they children will definitely have healthy options at home and will supplement the family’s food budget. She said that part of the goal of the program is to educate the parents.
For more information about the Food Bank, go to www.slofoodbank.org.