A very popular produce program benefitting lower income older adults is back this spring! The Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) funded by the State, will provide lower income seniors with an electronic benefits card that will be used to purchase $80 in fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, and fresh-cut herbs at approved farmers markets and farm stores throughout Washington State. WCOA’s Meals on Wheels and More program is responsible for distributing the SFMNP benefits cards to eligible seniors throughout Whatcom and San Juan Counties.
To be eligible to receive a SFMNP Electronic Benefits Card, you must meet all of the following:
- Be 60 years old or older (55+ if Native American or Alaska Native)
- Be a resident of Washington State
- Have an income below:
- $27,860 Annual / $2,431 Monthly for 1 person, or
- $37,814 Annual / $3,261 Monthly for 2 people
- For larger households, add $848 for each additional person per month
2025 SFMNP Affidavits/Applications will be available on the WCOA website, https://whatcomcoa.org, and at your local senior center by April 29, 2025. Benefits cards will be mailed to eligible seniors from our Bellingham office starting at the end of May and will be redeemable between June 1st and October 31st. If you receive your benefit card in the mail in May, you will not be able to access your benefits or balance until June 1st. Information about approved markets and farm stores will be available mid-May. We will provide updated information on our website as it becomes available.
Please note, last year we had nearly 300 Farmers Market cards be awarded to seniors, who did not use the program at all. Between Whatcom and San Juan Counties, we had over $32,000.00 in benefits go unused! Please only apply for the program if you plan on taking full advantage of it.
There is a SFMNP Mobile App available for download to help you access your SFMNP benefit information, purchase history, and find local vendors. If you are interested in downloading this app, it is available on Apple/iOS and Android as “SFMNP app”.
Happy Spring!