By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Laurie Carr with the Reno County Health Department is grateful that the Reno County Farmer's Market has taken the effort to make it so they can accept SNAP benefits.
"A person who is on Kansas Food Assistance Program, that's what we call it here in the state, somebody can go to the Farmer's Market, present their card and then go buy fresh produce from that. It's a huge win for our community, especially locally grown fresh produce."
It's important for those who are eligible for the program to understand its advantages.
"We're hoping that when someone goes to redeem their benefits, they will select healthy foods," Carr said. "That's another component of some of the work we're doing."
That work is part of a larger group of tasks that are part of a Blue Cross, Blue Shield Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant that the county has received.
"There's an application process," Carr said. "That's one of the strategies that we have been working on is, how do you apply for food assistance?" Carr said. "There's a number of ways. Obviously, you can go to the DCF website. There's also a phone number that we're getting out there, as well, to assist people with the SNAP application process."
That phone number is 1-888-369-4777.