May 7, 2025 Pittsburgh Farmers Markets to Open for the Season in May and June The CitiParks Farmers Markets will return to various locations in Pittsburgh starting next week. The four markets will open either in May or June and run through November or December. Learn More Shoppers who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be able to get fresh, nutritious, and locally-grown food at the markets. Products include produce, meat, dairy, bread and baked goods, produce plants, seeds, and honey. Hot prepared food items, alcohol, and non-food items are not eligible for SNAP purchases. Food Bucks gives Fresh Access food stamp shoppers extra money to spend on fruits and vegetables. For every $5 spent in food stamps, shoppers will receive an extra $2 to spend on produce. For the 2025 season, Just Harvest will add another $3 to this as a result of a grant from the Food Justice Fund that will double SNAP benefits at all CitiParks markets. The markets – which are operated by the city’s Department of Parks & Recreation (CitiParks) – will offer expanded vendor selections, revamped layouts, and new community programming aimed at making visits more engaging and accessible. The Squirrel Hill Market opens with a special market on Sunday, May 11 to celebrate Mother’s Day. There will be a Beer Garden at the Northside Market on the last Friday of every month that will include musical entertainment. Special programming and theme weeks with community partners will be featured at the markets beginning in June. The four markets include: Squirrel Hill (Beacon/Bartlett parking lot): Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from May 11 to Dec. 21 East End (Liberty Green Park, Larimer Avenue): Mondays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. from June 2 to Nov. 17 Carrick (Carrick Dairy District, 1529 Brownsville Road): Wednesdays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. from June 4 to Nov. 19 North Side (Allegheny Commons Park, East Ohio & Cedar): Fridays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. from May 16 to Nov. 21 “We’re thrilled about this year’s farmers markets and the continued investment in our city’s local economy,” CitiParks Director Kathryn Vargas said. “Our goal is to support the growth of small, sustainable businesses while creating an experience that every Pittsburgher will be excited to be part of.”
January 20, 2023 SNAP Emergency Allotment Ending After February 2023 Pennsylvania Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will receive their last extra monthly emergency payment in February 2023. (This article was updated on January 20, 2022 to reflect the ending date of the emergency allotment). About Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SNAP recipients have been receiving extra monthly emergency allotments since April 2020. Right now, SNAP benefits are paid in two payments during the month: regular SNAP benefit is paid in the first half of the month and the extra payment (known as an Emergency Allotment) is paid in the second half of the month. On December 23, 2022 Congress passed budget legislation that – among many other things – will end SNAP Emergency Allotments after February 2023. This means that starting in March 2023, recipients will only receive one regular SNAP payment. Additional food assistance resources are available on the PA Department of Human Services website. Questions? This Just Harvest flyer explains more about the change and how to ensure you get as much SNAP as you can now that Emergency Allotments are ending. Allegheny County residents who have questions about their SNAP benefits, want to check eligibility, or need help applying, can reach out to Just Harvest for assistance. Call 412-431-8960 (option 3) and leave a name, contact information, and the best time to reach out Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or fill out the form on the Just Harvest website.
January 19, 2023 Thriving PA Releases Report on WIC Participants and Access to Benefits Thriving PA has released a report on the results of focus group sessions with Pennsylvania Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program participants. Entitled, “WIC Participants Encourage Improvements to Remove Barriers to Access,” the report reveals value in key elements of the WIC program and a need to increase program accessibility. About Thriving PA partnered with eight community-based organizations, including Trying Together, to recruit and facilitate focus group sessions. The results in the report are part of a continuous feedback loop with these organizations and session participants. Summary of Findings WIC Program Strengths Participants valued information on nutrition and health education provided at WIC clinics during appointments. Information on the breastfeeding program proved especially important. Participants are hopeful the increased monthly produce benefits (resulting from a congressional response to the COVID-19 pandemic) will continue even when the public health emergency ends. Participants considered the ability to use vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables at farmer’s markets as a significant strength of the program. Barriers to WIC Program Benefits Participants expressed difficulty getting to WIC offices during clinic hours. They included distance, gas prices, and inability to obtain child care as barriers to attending appointments. Because participants must visit WIC clinics to get their EBT benefits reloaded every three months, they describe in-person requirements are challenging. Participants feel the length of certification is too short and annual recertification is too frequent. Participants shared frustrations with the food options that are eligible for WIC, including sizing and diversity restrictions. Participants identified a need for an updated package that meets current nutritional standards. Participants had trouble determining what items were WIC approved in stores and said item identification and checkout need to be addressed to ensure smoother transactions. Participants expressed a desire for improvement in staff interactions at WIC clinics, as well as improved communication. Participants said they felt deterred by the stigma and shame associated with participation in WIC, especially during the checkout process. Thriving PA Recommendations Make permanent the flexibilities given to the program during the COVID-19 pandemic, which have allowed WIC agencies to adapt to families’ needs, and modernize current technology to provide the best user experience. Advance the transition to an online system as quickly as is feasible. Create a state-specific mobile app that would allow specific benefit information to be open to participants. Integrate WIC into COMPASS, which will allow eligibility and enrollment processes to be much more straightforward and easy for eligible individuals to access benefits. Explore more modern methods for outreach to capture more eligible WIC participants and educate community-based organizations, health care professionals, home visitors, and other service providers about the WIC program. Make significant vendor improvements, including care coordination, support for workforce development, federal food package updates, federal eligibility expansion, and federal relaxation of the physical presence requirement. Learn More Read the full report to learn more.
