Meeting the Market’s Mission to Support Our Neighbors

The 61st Street Farmers Market continues to break its own records with increased customer attendance, more vendor offerings, and higher sales for vendors. 

Among these achievements, what stands out is the consistent increase in attendance of Link customers and Link Match usage at the Market, supporting the Market’s 30+ local vendors. 

As a result of the Market’s ongoing outreach efforts, more Link recipients are able to find the Market and use their Link Match vouchers to shop for fresh produce. By week 18 of the Market’s 2024 season, the Market had assisted 492 individual Link customers, of which 130 were new. 

Link customers’ support has made a sizable impact on farmer sales. According to Maureena from Lane’s End Farm, Link Match makes up “a big portion of our sales at the Market. [...] The customers we get with Link are typically some of our most passionate customers because they have access to produce they wouldn’t normally have. We love our Link customers.”

For many families, Link Match is their means of accessing fresh food. Faye, a regular at the Market, shared, “I love that we could use Link Match because it really helps us. Like today, we just have $10 left in our SNAP but we are able to match $10. So, now I have [an additional] $10 for fruits and vegetables.”

Thanks to Link and Link Match, the Market’s growing number of Link customers are rebuilding the connections between consumers and the source of their food, providing support to local farmers, while being nourished by them.