Double Up Indiana is now up and running in Fort Wayne!

As part of Double Up Indiana, University of Saint Francis Nutrition Science students offer tastes of healthy recipes using fresh produce at the Johnnie Mae Farm.

What is Double Up Indiana? It’s a St. Joe Foundation program, supported by a matching grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, that helps low-income families get free fruits and vegetables.

Double Up Indiana helps families enrolled in SNAP (formerly food stamps) get a $1 for $1 match on all fresh fruits and vegetables they purchase at participating retail locations and farmers markets.

“The St. Joe Foundation has made access to healthy, high-nutrition foods for vulnerable residents a priority,” says Meg Distler, executive director of the St. Joe Foundation. “The half-million dollar, four-year grant from the USDA will allow us to implement Double Up Indiana and scale our work so we can reach many more families in Allen County.”

Currently, residents participating in SNAP can get double the amount of fresh produce they purchase at: the Johnnie Mae Farm operated by the City of Fort Wayne and Purdue Extension – Allen County, all three HEAL Markets operated by HealthVisions Midwest of Fort Wayne, Plowshares Rose Avenue Farm and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Fort Wayne’s Farmers Market, and 3 Rivers Natural Food Co-Op.

Find the locations for all the Double Up Indiana sites at DoubleUpIndiana.org. Residents can also learn more about the program, as well as sign up for the Double Up Indiana newsletter, at the website. Regular updates about Double Up Indiana can be found on Facebook: @DoubleUpIndiana.

Double Up Indiana is sponsored by the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation, with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, United Way of Allen County, and Parkview Health. St. Joe Foundation is the fiscal agent for the Double Up Indiana program.