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Link Up Illinois' Key Role in Expanding Access to Local Food
- Bob Benenson
- 6 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The Non-Profit Experimental Station's Link Match Fights Food Insecurity
Expanding access to healthy food — toward the goal of Good Food for All — is a central mission for those who advocate for a better food system. Link Up Illinois, part of the non-profit Experimental Station, plays a key role in my home state, providing funding that enables farmers markets, farm stands, food co-ops and other brick-and-mortar grocery stores to double the value of food assistance benefits.
I have written about Link Up Illinois over the years; Matthew Ruffi, a good friend of Local Food Forum, heads the program.
This past Thursday, Link Up Illinois sent out a newsletter that concisely describes the organization's mission and successes. It is shared below so you can know them better.
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Fresh Food Access Maxxing With Link Match this Farmers Market Season
Who is excited for farmers market season? The locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables… the fun, friendly outdoor space… the delicious food from local vendors…
While we are excited about all that, we at Link Up Illinois are particularly thrilled that this year, we are partnering with over 120 farmers markets across Illinois to provide SNAP recipients with access to fresh fruits and vegetables through Link Match.
With this statewide nutrition incentive program of Experimental Station, SNAP users receive Link Match vouchers to spend on fruits and vegetables when they use their Link card at participating locations. [Link is the Illinois state program that administers benefits under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, (SNAP)]
Despite SNAP benefit payment delays and legislative uncertainty in 2025, we saw over $900,000 in Link Match redemptions at farmers markets and farm stands, part of the $2.26 million distributed through all partners, including 28 grocery stores.
What that means is an estimated 73,000 SNAP customers at grocery stores and farmers markets combined brought healthy food home. In last year's annual program survey, 88.8% of participants responded that Link Match has increased the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat, and 74.4% reported that their health had improved because of Link Match.
Itzel, a 61st Street Farmers Market customer, shared, “As a single mother, the Link Match program helped so much because I didn’t feel pressure to figure out what I can afford. I can still get the meals that I want without compromising my health.”
SNAP and Link Match not only benefit communities in need but also strengthen local economies and support jobs. According to NTAE, for every $1 invested in a healthy food incentive program, it generates at least $1.50 in economic impact.
Statewide, we have already seen more than 376 local farmers selling their Link Match eligible produce, often at multiple locations across our partnering markets and farm stands. In the few short weeks since farmers market season kicked off this year, shoppers have used Link Match to purchase over $138,000 worth of fresh, local produce.
These numbers and the many stories like Itzel’s are proof that when we invest in SNAP and Link Match, our entire community thrives. Even as changing SNAP requirements introduce new hurdles for Illinois families, our mission remains unchanged. Link Up Illinois is more committed than ever to helping low-income households stretch their buying power, ensuring that fresh, healthy, locally grown food is never out of reach.