Stabenow Applauds Expansion of Healthy Food Program in Flint

United States Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today released the following statement applauding the Fair Food Network’s plans to expand its Double Up Food Bucks program in Flint.  This program will give Flint families the ability to double the value of their food assistance for the purchase of healthy fruits and vegetables at local farmers markets and some grocery stores. The Double Up Food Bucks program also served a model in Stabenow’s 2014 Farm Bill to support the new Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive grant program which ensures all families have access to fresh, locally growing fruits and vegetables. 

“I applaud the leadership of the Fair Food Network in expanding this innovative program in Flint.  Now more than ever, children in Flint need to be eating more healthy fruits and vegetables to help reduce the effects of lead, and this gives families more options. 

As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, I have been working with both local and federal partners to provide more healthy food choices for Flint families.  These efforts include expanding summer meals to 16,000 Flint children, ensuring infants have ready-to-feed formula available through WIC, and expanding Medicaid eligibility for Flint children.  I am also deeply concerned about the lack of grocery stores in some areas of the city and am working with community leaders to help address this critical problem.”

###