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Green City Market Underscores Key Role Farmers Markets Play in Access
- Bob Benenson
- Aug 4
- 3 min read
Market is One of Few That Triples Government Food Assistance Benefits
This week marks the annual national celebration of Farmers Market Week. Farmers markets are widely recognized for their contributions to the building of a better food system, one that elevates locally produced food with sustainable, humane and fair practices often highlighted.
It is also important, though, to recognize another major way in which farmers markets benefit communities — by increasing access to healthy, nutritious food for income-challenged people who face food insecurity.
Over the first quarter of this 21st century, many farmers markets adopted the practice of accepting federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as payment for up to $25 worth of good food per visit.
In Illinois, the program to implement SNAP is known as Link, and many recipients get their benefits doubled to $50 per visit at markets that participate in Link Up Illinois, run by the Chicago non-profit Experimental Station, that enables those markets to provide matching funds.
Chicago's influential Green City Market is one of the few that takes it an additional step by tripling SNAP benefits, participating in Link Up while separately raising money that brings the total per visit benefit to $75 — which I can tell you, as a veteran farmers market shopper, buys you a whole lot of healthy, delicious food.
While helping these program recipients, the double and triple matches help farmers by increasing their customer bases.
But these efforts to expand food access face unprecedented threats following the enactment of the Trump administration's earth-shaking budget legislation (and no, we don't use the hype label that Trump and his supporters slapped on it). Provisions that go into effect starting next year stand to reduce access to healthy food for many food-insecure individuals and families.
It is in this context that Green City Market Executive Director Letisha Steele sent out a message to the market's mailing list that highlights GCM's food access program, and the importance of continued and increasing support so efforts such as theirs can continue to help people no matter what.
Local Food Forum shares her important statement below.
Also, we recommend that you read the analysis of the legislation's impact on food and farm programs, created by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, the leading federal policy advocate for sustainable farmers and consumers.
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From Green City Market:
A message from our Executive Director Letisha Steele
Changes to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as Link in Illinois, are beginning to take shape, but most won’t take effect immediately.
Starting in 2026, new federal work requirements will begin to roll out, and states will take on more of the program’s administrative costs in 2026 and 2027.
While this means funding for Link Up Illinois is secure through the 2026 season, they do signal future uncertainty and could have serious consequences for families who rely on SNAP and the local farmers who serve them, both here in Chicago and nationwide.
At Green City Market, we believe access to fresh, nutritious, locally grown food should never be out of reach. That’s why we are committed to keeping our community informed, supported, and nourished through these shifts.
If you shop with SNAP/Link benefits, here’s what you need to know:
Our Food Access program, GCM For All, is still going strong
Spend $25 of your SNAP benefits
Get $25 in Link Match (provided by SNAP Match Grant from LinkUp Illinois) and $25 in GCM for All dollars (funded by our nonprofit through private individual and corporate donations to GCM)
That’s $75 in fresh food every market day, redeemable at all three of our market locations: GCM Lincoln Park, GCM West Loop, and our winter market, GCM Avondale.
Farmers continue to be fully reimbursed for all SNAP and Link Match purchases. We will keep advocating for local growers and food producers who rely on these programs for fair, dependable income.
We are actively fundraising to strengthen and sustain our GCM for All program. As need increases, so does our commitment to meet it.
To support our neighbors through these changes, we will be sharing resources and updates on the SNAP program at our information booth at all of our markets. We will also continue donating surplus produce from our markets to community fridges and food recovery organizations through our food recovery program, making sure this food reaches those who need it most at its peak freshness and with dignity.
Green City Market is more than a market. We are a community, rooted in equity, driven by purpose, and growing toward a more just and resilient food system.
If you believe in this work, we invite you to become a monthly donor. Your ongoing support helps us keep our markets accessible, our farmers supported, and our neighbors nourished—week after week, season after season.
With gratitude,
Letisha Steele
Executive Director
Green City Market
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