Food Assistance Information Fair
A recent report says that 40% of households in Massachusetts are facing food insecurity — they have problems getting enough healthy food. That’s double the number from 2019.
Our annual Food Assistance Information Fair can help. It’s part of opening day, on June 4, 2026, from 2-6:30 PM.
The Information Fair has two goals:
You can talk with representatives of statewide and local organizations about food assistance benefits that can help you stretch your food budget, and
You can find out more about food insecurity and how you can help others. It’s a problem that exists in Belmont as it does everywhere.
We expect staff from statewide, regional and local organizations to talk about how you can use SNAP (Food Stamps), Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons (FMNP) and other benefits to help put more healthy food on your table.
As Congresswoman Katherine Clark said at the event in 2023, “Hunger in this country is a policy choice, and we have to make the choice that says, ‘Everybody should have what they need to eat.’ ”
That same idea led Market organizers to develop the Information Fair — put it on your calendar!
Congresswoman Katherine Clark spoke at the 2023 event
Select Board memberTaylor Yates cuts the opening ribbon at the 2025 event
Participants
We’re working on the lineup for the 2006 Information Fair. Last year’s event included representatives of these great statewide and local organizations:
Mike McCarthy, SNAP Outreach, Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA). Mike can help people learn about applying for SNAP and answer questions.
Jennifer Donnelly, Farmers Market Nutrition Program Coordinator at the Mass Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR). FMNP coupons help WIC families and eligible seniors buy local produce.
Khady Addison, Community Outreach Coordinator, Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA). Khady will have information about WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
Laurie Graham, Belmont Food Pantry. Bring food donations on opening day for the pantry.
Amy Kirsch, Co-Founder, Belmont Helps. Belmont Helps aids Belmont residents dealing with food insecurity and other pressing needs.
Amber Porter, Belmont Community Fridge. This is an exciting new idea in Belmont that’s just getting!
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Food assistance programs at the Belmont Farmers’ Market
BFM’s food assistance program is one of the best around.
“SNAP matching is an amazing program and I was SO grateful you did that!!”
— A shopper using the BFM food assistance program
SNAP match: We double SNAP (formerly food stamps) up to $25 weekly for each shopper.
FMNP match: We double Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons (FMNP) for eligible seniors and WIC families – we’re one of the few markets to do this.
HIP: The Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) gives all SNAP shoppers free produce from enrolled farmers. (HIP is funded by the state, we fund the rest.)
HIP+: When HIP was cut last year, we wanted to find a way to help, so we created our own program, HIP+. Shoppers can get an extra $20 every month for produce from any of our vendors. No other market has a program like this. HIP funding has been restored, but we’re continuing HIP+ to help local residents get more local produce.
Mireia Carpio, Market Manager, said, “We have four HIP farmers, and five vendors in the FMNP program.We’re glad to offer so much variety.”
According to Dr. Suzanne Johannet, president of the Belmont Food Collaborative, “The Food Assistance Information Fair is an essential part of our mission. Far too many people are not aware of the food assistance they can get. At the Fair, and at our manager's tent throughout the season, we let people know how to access food assistance and use it to stretch their dollars further.” (Belmont Food Collaborative is the parent organization of BFM.)
“Our second goal is to inform people that food insecurity is a problem in every community, and to emphasize the role that farmers’ markets play in combating it,” said Hal Shubin, Chairperson of the Farmers’ Market Committee
As Project Bread website says, “One of the biggest barriers preventing families from accessing food resources is, they don't know about them!” This event is a way to address that problem.
Khady Addison of Cambridge Health Alliance talked with shoppers in 2023 about the Farmers Market Nutrition Program for WIC families
Support food assistance at the Market
Donations from the community and sponsorships from local businesses help pay for the matching program, while the Commonwealth reimburses vendors for HIP purchases. Spending those additional funds at the Market also supports local farms and businesses.
With our SNAP and FMNP matches, HIP+ program, and HIP rebates, the Belmont Farmers’ Market helped shoppers stretch their food budgets by over $71,000 in the 2025 season. (HIP is funded by the state, we fund the rest.)
“We are committed to alleviating food insecurity in our community, through our matching programs; by educating people about the needs that exist in the community; and how to get help to put more food, and healthier food, on their tables,” said Johannet.s
Leah Shenkel, Project Bread’s Hotline Outreach Manager, speaking in 2023. On the left is Congresswoman Katherine Clark, and at the right are State Rep. Dave Rogers and State Sen. Will Brownsberger.
Opening Day schedule
Shopping and the Food Assistance Information Fair run through the entire Market day, from 2:00 until 6:30 on June 4, 2026. Come talk with participants to learn about available programs.
The SNAP match and HIP+ are available at the Manager’s Tent. FMNP coupons will be distributed by outside agencies during the summer.