Posted by Merrin
GOOD – a collaboration of people, businesses, and nonprofit organizations striving to move the world forward – wants to help make fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible to people with low incomes. The challenge, which specifically focuses on food stamp users, closes on March 29th.
We all know that eating enough fresh produce is a requirement for good health, yet affordable access to it is still a largely insurmountable challenge for individuals on food stamps. Supermarkets in low-income neighborhoods often do not have adequate offerings, and although many farmers’ markets now accept food stamps, most are unable to accept the EBTs (electronic benefit transfers) that have replaced physical stamps. A battery-powered wireless card reader will do the job, but these are more costly than most farmers can afford.
The challenge: Come up with an easy and affordable way to use and accept food stamps at farmers’ markets. GOOD emphasizes that the solution doesn’t need to conform to any particular system and it can be presented in whatever way explains and represents it best.
Mar 22