Meet Double Up Champion(s): The Marquette Food Co-Op

At Double Up Food Bucks, we’re on a mission to make fruits and veggies an accessible, affordable option for Michigan shoppers who use SNAP while also supporting our local farmers and communities. But this work simply wouldn’t be possible without the farmers markets and neighborhood grocery stores, community partners and shoppers, at the very heart of our program: Our Double Up Champions.

Meet Double Up Champions: The Marquette Food Co-Op

Through our Double Up Champion blog series, we want to elevate stories of the Michiganders who have made the Double Up program a statewide success (and national model) since 2009. Champions like the team at the Marquette Food Co-Op. Keep reading to learn more about their passion for strong regional food systems and let us know about a Double Up Champion near you!
 

What is your favorite fruit or vegetable?  

Anything we get to buy from a U.P. farmer!

How do you work with Double Up Food Bucks? 

The Marquette Food Co-op is a full-service, cooperatively owned grocery store that specializes in local, organic, and fair-trade items. We are a participating grocery store in the program and also promote Double Up Food Bucks through our cooking classes, farmers market food demos, and other public events.

How does Double Up Food Bucks help people?  

Double Up Food Bucks is an incredible program that supports healthy eating in Michigan communities. The Marquette Food Co-op believes everyone deserves access to healthy, local, and sustainable food; Double Up makes this possible for many people who may not otherwise have access to these foods on a regular basis.

Why do you believe it’s important to support Michigan-grown produce?  

Regional food systems reduce the environmental impact of our food, support local economies, and produce food that is better for us. We cannot rely on food to appear from some far-off place, true community resiliency includes the production of food. It is essential to support Michigan farmers for the good of all our communities.

Do you have any tips you’d like to share with shoppers about using Double Up?  

We encourage people in the Marquette area to ask our friendly staff for more information about the program. They are happy to help!

Nominate a Champion

If you live near Marquette, be sure to stop by the co-op and thank the whole team for their work supporting local farmers and healthy food access through Double Up Food Bucks. Do you know a Double Up Champion in your neighborhood? Tell us about them here!