I had the opportunity to speak with Gordie Moeller, former social worker and long-time food
security advocate, about how important it is for families to have access to fresh food. According to Gordie, fresh produce offers benefits that go far beyond nutrition.
“If you get a tomato from a farmer who raised it in the sun, and he takes it to the farmers’
market, it is ripened in the sun, on the vine, is juicy and tastes good,” he said. “When you buy it
in a store in the winter, it’s picked green, shipped here, and then it kind of turns pink. It’s just not
the same.”
He explained that fresh, locally grown produce often tastes better and encourages families,
especially children, to eat more fruits and vegetables. “When produce is fresh and flavorful, kids
will eat it,” he said. “If you have fresh asparagus that’s really tender, you can actually eat it raw.”
Fresh food also creates opportunities for learning. Farmers markets and local farms expose
children to different experiences and foods they may not normally see at home or in the grocery
store. “They have carrots stacked this high, they have radishes, they have foods kids have never
seen before,” Gordie said. “Kids see cherry tomatoes and say, ‘Mom, can I get those little ones?
They’re purple.’ They’ll eat them.”
For parents looking for ways to provide healthy food, create meaningful experiences for their
children, and stretch their grocery budgets further, programs like SNAP and Double Up Food
Bucks can make a significant difference. These programs help to make healthy food more
affordable. Double Up Food Bucks allows SNAP recipients to receive matching funds when
purchasing eligible Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables at participating locations.
“If the average family gets $200 a month in SNAP benefits and spends $100 at a participating
market, they now have $300 worth of food because they got $100 free, they now have $100 they
didn’t have to spend on food,” Gordie explained. “That means money for school clothes, utilities,
transportation, or whatever else the family needs.”The program not only helps families access healthier food but also supports local farmers and keeps more food dollars within the community.
“When people spend money locally, it stays here,” Gordie said. “It supports local businesses,
local farms, and local families.”
For Gordie, helping families access nutritious food is one of the most practical ways to
strengthen communities.”Food is the basis of virtually everything else,” he said. “If you feed the kids and don’t take care of yourself, then you can’t be the best parent.”
Resources Families May Not Know AboutThe biggest challenge, according to Gordie, is lack of awareness. He said that many families
either do not know they qualify for assistance or are unaware of programs available to them.
“About 85 percent of families didn’t know that if they had a Bridge Card, they could use Double
Up Food Bucks.”So, in addition to SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks, he highlighted several resources that can support families, including:
• WIC Produce Connection
• Local food pantries
• Feeding America mobile food distributions
• Community food programs
If you and your family are already connected to Family Futures, one of the easiest places to start is closer
to home. Families enrolled in our programs can simply ask their home visitor or Family Support
Navigator, who can help connect them to food resources along with whatever else they might
need. If a family isn’t sure where to turn, they don’t have to figure it out alone – anyone in
Kent County is welcome to reach out to Family Futures, and we’ll help point them in the right
direction.
For families who have never used SNAP or Double Up Food Bucks before, Gordie encourages
them to explore the resources available to them. “Families should know these resources are there
to be used,” he said. He also encourages families to visit local farmers markets and connect with
market staff, who can explain how food assistance programs work and answer questions.
For more information about SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks, and other community resources,
families enrolled in Family Futures programs can talk to their home visitor or Family Support
Navigator. Anyone in the community can also reach out to Family Futures directly or contact 211
or visit participating farmers markets and food access locations throughout Kent County and
West Michigan.
