COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: Black Farmers' Market Makes Locally Grown Food Available to Families Using SNAP

Since 2018, the Black Farmers’ Market has been a community food hub providing access to fresh food grown directly by Black farmers. The idea first started on Pine Knot Farms, owned by our partners, Stanley Hughes and Linda Leach-Hughes. They were joined by Mark Paylor of 4M Farms. Executive Director Ja’Nell Henry heard stories from Black farmers who faced barriers for generations. 

Fueled by a food justice mission, the Black Farmers’ Market hosts shopping events every Sunday from April to November with alternating weeks in Durham and Raleigh.   

Ja’Nell describes the Black Farmers’ Market as a “grocery store with a vibe.” While shoppers buy locally grown food, a DJ plays classic hip hop and R&B.  

The Black Farmers’ Market makes healthy food accessible through their Double Bucks program. Families using SNAP can swipe their EBT card for the amount of money they plan to spend. This number is matched by the Black Farmers’ Market through a partnership with Triangle Double Bucks. This summer, the Black Farmers’ Market will also match SUN Bucks, which is a grocery benefits program that gives $120 for each eligible child.  

At a time of rising food prices, our partnership with the Black Farmers’ Market provides food access to communities who need it the most. 1 in 6 people are food insecure across Durham and Raleigh. Ja’Nell reflected on the importance of working with the Food Bank to support families facing hunger.  

The Food Bank has been amazing to work with. We had folks come out and they would actually sign people up for SNAP on-site, which was amazing.

– Ja’Nell Henry Co-Founder & Executive Director of Black Farmers' Market

Cuts to federal food purchase funding have forced an indefinite pause on our fresh produce partnership with the Black Farmers’ Market. With your advocacy, we hope to restore programs focused on healthy, locally-grown food. 

We worked with the Food Bank to distribute free boxes of food monthly here in Durham and Raleigh. Each month, we were giving out 1,250 boxes of produce for free. That kind of partnership helped solidify our brand, our name, within the food ecosystem. Everyone knows who the Food Bank is, so having a partner like that backing us...it was really, really helpful.

– Ja'Nell Henry Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Black Farmers' Market