“Everyone’s Farm Stop”: Making SNAP Work at Argus

At Argus Farm Stop in Ann Arbor, Michigan, food access and equity are central to the mission of building a robust local food system. The Argus food access team, Tess Rian, Mara Logan, and Rosie Estes, aim to make using food assistance at Argus as easy as possible and also to educate Argus staff, customers, and broader community members about the important role that food assistance plays in the local food economy. During recent store renovations, it was super important to the food access team that “EBT Welcome” be very clearly displayed on the street-facing awning of the store. Part of the aim of this is to change assumptions about “who is in our community.” Many people see both Ann Arbor and local food as domains of the privileged, but Ann Arbor is also a city full of students and young families, both of whom frequently use SNAP benefits at Argus.

Once SNAP customers are in the door, the food access team aims to make using SNAP as simple as possible and to make the money go as far as possible. Argus does this by offering heavily subsidized weekly produce boxes and by giving 50% off all fresh produce. The weekly produce box is a selection of 6-9 items selected by the staff, and includes detailed information about the contents of the box, including possible recipes. For non-SNAP customers, the boxes are currently $30, but for SNAP customers, the boxes are currently less than $10. The food access team designates 100 boxes a week to be available at a discount to SNAP customers, but currently, there are fewer customers than those who have requested to receive the boxes.

If you are a SNAP recipient interested in a discounted Argus Farm Stop produce box subscription, please email hub@argusfarmstop.com to set it up!

For non-subscription produce purchases, in the state of Michigan, the Double Up Food Bucks Program allows SNAP customers to make their money go twice as far when purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables. For every dollar they spend, they receive a “matching” dollar from Double Up, effectively making produce half off. However, the Double Up program has a daily limit of $20 and has been susceptible to disruption. During the height of COVID, the daily limit was temporarily suspended, but then the program itself was temporarily suspended altogether from August to December 2022. When the program resumed in 2023, the daily benefit was reduced by half (from $20 to $10) from January to September. In October of 2023, the program was returned to $20 and has remained at that level since then. However, due to the previous changes and disruptions, SNAP customers have a hard time planning for what their benefits will continue to be.

Argus aims to fill this gap by supplementing their own matching funds to give SNAP customers 50% off of all fresh produce, with no daily limit. This allows customers to buy the produce that they need when they need it. Argus funds this matching program through internal fundraising; for the past three years, they have done a “Round Up at the Register” campaign, which last year raised about 10k in just one month. A strong majority of customers choose to round up, which demonstrates that the local food community understands the value of making local food more accessible to more people.

The Argus food access team cares deeply about the impact their work is making, and checks in with customers using EBT cards at the farm stop about their experiences. They have received an overwhelmingly positive response about every aspect of the program, including both Double Up Food Bucks and the Argus discounted produce box subscription. The customers report being able to have access to fresher, healthier, and tastier food, which has expanded the kinds of produce regularly included in their dietary practices.

At the Farm Stop Conference in March 2025, put on by Argus, one of the most-attended sessions was on food access, co-presented by Tess Rian, one of the food access coordinators at Argus, and Noah Fulmer, a senior fellow at the Fair Food Network. The session was attended by farm stop owners and entrepreneurs from all across the country, all of whom had tremendous energy and enthusiasm for making food access a central part of their own farm stops. This highlights the importance of maintaining robust food assistance programs that can integrate with smaller, locally-focused businesses like Argus Farm Stop.

This post is part of a series by Emma Rose Hardy, a PhD Candidate at the University of Michigan and the Rackham Local Food Systems Intern at Growing Hope. The series aims to highlight the essential role that SNAP and other food assistance programs play in the Washtenaw County local food system.

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Matthew Bacon, Our 2025 Volunteer of he Year

By Julius Buzzard • December 5, 2025

Beloved Community, As the seasons turn and the last leaves let go, I’m thinking about how much of this work depends on people who choose to show up. Food sovereignty is held together by the steady, everyday commitments of folks who believe their time can help build a more just and nourished community. Our volunteers carry our community with a kind of grounded generosity that can’t be measured but can absolutely be felt. You welcomed neighbors, supported vendors, helped distribute SNAP Gap tokens, handled surprises with grace, and made the market a place where people felt a sense of belonging. That is a rare and powerful contribution. Among these dedicated volunteers, we’re honored to recognize Matthew Bacon as our Volunteer of the Year . Matthew came to southeast Michigan without long-standing ties, yet quickly became one of the anchors of our market season. His presence was consistent, thoughtful, and rooted in genuine care for the mission. In his own words: “I chose to volunteer with Growing Hope at the Ypsilanti Farmers Market because Growing Hope’s mission greatly appealed to me, and I wanted to support the cause. What stood out to me and drew me in was the mission’s emphasis on access to nourishing food and community empowerment. I enjoyed learning about the ways the mission is carried out through the urban farm, incubator kitchen, and community outreach. I loved seeing it come full circle, bringing people together at the farmers market and other community events. As a newcomer to Southeast Michigan with no prior connections to the area, volunteering at the market has been a great way to meet and connect with people in the community. Thank you to Growing Hope for the opportunity to get involved this summer and fall, and I look forward to continuing to do so in the future!” Matthew reflects exactly what strengthens the fabric of this work: folks who arrive with open eyes, steady hands, and a willingness to weave themselves into the community’s story. We’re profoundly grateful. As we move into winter, the Ypsi SNAP Gap continues to play a critical role in expanding food access with dignity. Through the end of November, shoppers impacted by SNAP cuts and the government shutdown could receive $40 in SNAP Gap tokens each market week. Beginning in December, that shifts to twenty dollars per week so we can sustain our community through the end of the year. Tokens can be used at both Ypsilanti Farmers Markets and Old City Acres Farm Stand on Emerick Street. They’re valid on all food, fresh, prepared, hot, and remain usable through March 2026. Programs like SNAP Gap thrive because volunteers, donors, and neighbors insist on a community where everyone eats well. People like Matthew, and so many of you, turn that vision into something real and tangible. Thank you for walking alongside us, for carving out time from full lives, and for fueling the kind of food system that honors each person’s dignity. The season may be winding down, but the work continues, rooted in your care. In solidarity, Julius P.S. If you’re looking for a tangible way to strengthen food access this winter, consider making a monthly gift or signing up for a volunteer .

Nurturing a Season of Hope

By Julius Buzzard • November 18, 2025

November 2025 Food insecurity is a quiet crisis, until it’s at your doorstep. In Michigan, one in six adults and one in five children are struggling to afford food. Here in Washtenaw County, one in seven of our neighbors face the daily choice between groceries, childcare, and medicine. This year has brought more than hardship; it has brought disruption . Federal work requirements are forcing parents and elders to choose between groceries, healthcare, and childcare. Budget cuts and policy whiplash have shredded what remains of our fragile safety net. And yet, this is not the end of the story. We are reminded, once again: hunger isn’t just a matter of policy. It’s a matter of power. At Growing Hope, we are working toward a different future. A future rooted in justice, joy, and food sovereignty. Food is not a commodity. It is a human right. It is a relationship. It is a powerful tool for reclaiming what is ours: the ability to nourish ourselves, our families, and our community. “I want to learn how to do all kinds of stuff. We live in an unpredictable world.” She paused, laughed, and shrugged. “I need to grow my own food. That’s where my head is.” —Amorita, hands in the soil at our urban farm Your gift today will double to ensure families across our region can access, grow, and share fresh, culturally-relevant food. This year, your generosity has sown resilience: Over 6,000 pounds of produce and 10,000 food plants were shared with neighbors. A farmers market that reimagines food assistance with dignity and choice. An incubator kitchen that seeds new food businesses, stitching equity into our local economy. Teens empowered to lead, teach, and grow, becoming catalysts for generational health. “I know that I’ve been able to make an impact in my community while working with the teen program, probably more than I would have if I hadn’t worked here. Part of it is because it made me believe I could. The other is probably all of the connections and opportunities Growing Hope has in the community, that I’ve been privileged to take advantage of.” —Youth Leader, Growing Hope Teen Program Together, we are not just growing food. We are growing future. When a young person harvests food for their neighbors… When an elder shares recipes that carry memory and meaning… When families gather to eat from the soil they stewarded together… That is how chaos gives way to hope. Dr. C.R. Snyder reminds us that hope is not simply a feeling. It requires vision, possibility, sustained effort, and the belief that our actions shape the future. That’s the kind of hope we are cultivating at Growing Hope, and we can only do it together. This season, you can ensure our community is not defined by chaos and confusion, but remembered as a season of hope. Your year-end gift will be doubled to strengthen our shared work for food justice and sovereignty. Will you stand with us in planting the seeds of hope that will grow for generations? In solidarity and gratitude, Julius Buzzard Executive Director P.S. Your gift will be doubled thanks to a generous donor match. Together, let’s move from chaos to hope.

Cooking Up Futures: Our New Accelerator Kitchen & Food Hub

By Julius Buzzard • November 1, 2025

Here in Ypsilanti, food isn’t just something we eat, it’s how we connect, how we create opportunity, and how we build community. At Growing Hope, we’ve long believed that when people have the power to grow, prepare, and share their own food, they’re stepping into sovereignty over their health, their economy, and their future. That belief is taking shape in a big way with our latest project: Cooking Up Futures – the Accelerator Kitchen & Food Hub . We’re transforming a downtown building at 16 S. Washington Street into a fully equipped commercial kitchen and community food hub. In this place, small food businesses can grow, people can learn culinary skills, and Ypsilanti residents can access fresh, healthy food. And here’s where the community of builders comes in. We’re now accepting sealed bids from qualified contractors to bring this vision to life. The work is ambitious: it includes roof repairs, mechanical and electrical upgrades, ADA accessibility improvements, interior build-outs for retail and wholesale operations, landscaping, and of course, all the infrastructure that makes a commercial kitchen safe and functional—from fire suppression systems to grease management. This is more than construction. It’s an investment in economic mobility, in local food entrepreneurship, and in generational health . Every nail, every pipe, every stainless steel counter will support someone’s dream of starting a food business, sharing their culture through food, or learning a skill that can sustain a family. Key Dates: Bid Packet Released: November 1, 2025 Bids Due: December 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM EST Public Bid Opening: December 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM EST Contractors can submit digitally (preferred) or by hard copy. Complete bid instructions, federal compliance requirements, and detailed project plans are included in the formal bid packet. We are looking for contractors who are not only technically skilled but who share a commitment to community-centered, equitable development . Our evaluation will consider cost, experience with commercial kitchens, DBE participation, schedule feasibility, and federal compliance. I’m often reminded, in conversations with the makers and entrepreneurs we serve, that food is a gateway—it’s how people enter new opportunities, connect across generations, and reimagine what’s possible for their families and communities. With your expertise, your craftsmanship, and your commitment, this building will become exactly that: a gateway. For questions or to request the full bid packet, reach out to me directly: julius@growinghope.net . Let’s build something that feeds more than stomachs—it feeds futures.

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