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Topic: Getting fresh, affordable food to neighborhoods that need it mostWho Helped: Harris County Precinct One gave $550,000 in grants to 6 local groupsDouble Up Houston: Matches SNAP dollars at 19 farmers markets — spend $10, get $10 more for fruits and veggiesWho It Serves: Low-income neighborhoods and communities of color with few grocery stores nearbySource: Harris County Precinct One Healthy Food Financing Initiative
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Good first step: Act Find a Double Up Houston farmers market near you and use your SNAP card to get free matching dollars
Search 'Double Up Houston farmers market' online or ask at your local SNAP office to find the closest market location
Fresh, healthy food should be within reach for every Houston family. Harris County Precinct One launched its Healthy Food Financing Initiative, awarding $550,000 in grants to six local organizations bringing nutritious, affordable food to underserved communities. A separate program called Double Up Houston doubles your SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) dollars at 19 area farmers markets — so your grocery budget goes twice as far on fresh fruits and vegetables.
Six organizations received grants through the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. Here is what each one is doing with those funds: HOPE Clinic is teaching restaurant owners to add healthy options to their menus. Houston Food Bank is growing pantry capacity and helping more people enroll in SNAP. Little Red Box is setting up healthy food pickup spots in the Second Ward. Finca Tres Robles is opening a store and kitchen in the East End, plus hosting hands-on cooking and growing classes. Common Market Texas is offering healthy food to local retailers at a 25 percent discount. Urban Harvest is running a mobile market and helping community organizations coordinate food access efforts. On top of that, Urban Harvest — working with the Houston Food Bank, Houston Health Department, and other partners — launched Double Up Houston. This first-of-its-kind program in Houston matches SNAP purchases dollar-for-dollar at 19 farmers markets and food stands.
If you receive SNAP benefits, look for a participating farmers market near you and ask about Double Up Houston when you arrive. Your SNAP card already works there — the match just gives you more to spend on fresh produce. If you are unsure whether you qualify for SNAP, the Texas Benefits website can walk you through eligibility in plain steps. You can also connect with any of the six grantee organizations directly if you want fresh food options, cooking classes, or help signing up for benefits.
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Harris County, with a focus on underserved communities including the Second Ward and the East End
These programs connect directly to broader food security, public health, and economic well-being efforts across Harris County. Expanding SNAP enrollment and doubling purchasing power at farmers markets supports local growers while helping families stretch limited budgets. Cooking education and discounted wholesale food for retailers can also strengthen small businesses in underserved neighborhoods.
Food deserts — neighborhoods where grocery stores are hard to reach on foot — are a real challenge across Harris County, especially in low-income areas. When families can't easily access fresh food, it affects health, school performance, and work. These programs tackle that gap directly by funding creative, community-based solutions and stretching every SNAP dollar further.
