Double Up Food Bucks Western NY Report, 2014-2015
Cheryl Bilinski, Local Food Systems Specialist, Farm to School Lead
Harvest New York

Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) uses existing infrastructure -- farmers markets and EBT - the mechanism SNAP recipients use to receive their benefits -- to improve access to and affordability of fresh fruits and vegetables for low-income individuals and families and grow the local food economy by supporting purchases from local farmers.
In our 2014 pilot season DUFB was administered at 7 area farmers markets, spanning 3 counties. In 2015, the DUFB program expanded to 15 farmers markets, including a mobile market, spanning five counties.
Marketing and outreach are key components of a successful DUFB program. Field & Fork Network provides the farmers markets with hands-on training and a variety of marketing and promotion tools including: flyers & posters, banners, signage for participating vendors.
Community partnerships such as our partnership with EatSmart NY, the SNAP education program for New York State, has proven beneficial in enhancing the program for participants by providing nutrition education, cooking demonstrations and recipes.
For more information on the DUFB results in Buffalo, download the Double Up Food Bucks Western NY Report, 2014-2015 below.
DUFB 2014-2015 Final Report (pdf; 3635KB)
Upcoming Events
2025 Agroforestry Field Day Series -- Agroforestry Implementation and Management
October 23, 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Highland, NY
Interested in incorporating agroforestry practices into your farm? Join us for a series of workshops co-hosted by CCE Ulster, Orange, and Harvest NY with Mastwood Farms, Black Creek Farm and Nursery and Scenic Hudson. On October 23, we'll return to Erik Schellenberg's farm, Black Creek Farm and Nursery, for a Fall tour of their agroforestry plantings. Erik will talk about harvesting and managing plantings while we see some seasonal crops and installations of different ages and types. There will be time for questions and discussion as we wrap up the series. covered.
Soil Health 101 for Community Gardens -- A Bilingual Workshop
October 24, 2025
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Staten Island, NY
Join Urban Agriculture Specialists, Karen Guzman and Yolanda Gonzalez, as they discuss the importance of soil health and testing your soil as you prepare for the incoming growing season. They will go into strategies for best practices when it comes to soil health management and highlight the current soil testing program through NYSDAM and CCE. This workshop will be in both Spanish and English.Biochar 101 for Community Gardens (Upper Manhattan)
October 25, 2025
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Upper Manhattan, NY
Join Karen Guzman and Dr. Rebecca Nelson of Cornell University, Bill Hilgendorf of White Feather Farm, and the NYRP Urban Ag team for a deep dive into biochar as a tool for waste management, carbon storage, and soil health in a community garden context. During this hands-on workshop, participants will have the chance to make biochar using garden waste and learn about best practices when applying it to a garden bed. Workshop attendees will all receive a small amount of biochar to take back to their garden.Space is limited. Pre-registration required.