Thmc Corporation

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** ONE IN FIVE ARKANSANS AREN'T SURE WHERE THEY WILL GET THEIR NEXT MEAL. TO FURTHER COMPLICATE THEIR SITUATION, PROCESSED AND SUGARY FOODS ARE INEXPENSIVE AND MORE ACCESSIBLE, WHILE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE AND LESS ACCESSIBLE. ARKANSAS HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RANKINGS IN THE NATION FOR FOOD INSECURITY, AS WELL AS CHILD AND SENIOR HUNGER.THE ARKANSAS COALITION FOR OBESITY PREVENTION (ARCOP) IS JOINING FORCES WITH THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (ARKANSAS'S STATE SNAP AGENCY) TO APPLY FOR AN EXPANSION TO OUR CURRENT FOOD INSECURITY NUTRITION INCENTIVE (FINI) PROGRAM THROUGH GUSNIP. THROUGH THIS FUNDING WE WILL EXPAND TO ADDITIONAL SITES, ALL ACROSS THE STATE TO INCENTIVIZE PURCHASES OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO INCREASE THEIR AFFORDABILITY AND CONSUMPTION SPECIFICALLY FOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP), SPECIFICALLY TO IMPLEMENT THE DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS (DUFB) PROGRAM.DUFB IS A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYONE IN ARKANSAS. WHEN MORE ARKANSANS BUY HEALTHY FOOD FROM LOCAL FAMILY FARMERS, EVERYONE WINS. FARMERS GET A FINANCIAL BOOST AND LOCAL ECONOMIES THRIVE. ARCOP STARTED A DUFB PILOT IN 2016, THEN CONTINUED THE PROGRAM TO PRESENT DAY SHOWING A GREAT INCREASE IN SNAP PRODUCE SALES BY LOCAL FARMERS. ARCOP WAS NAMED IN ACT 1101 OF 2017 AS THE ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES THE DUFB PROGRAM TO INCENTIVIZE SNAP RECIPIENTS AND EXPAND NUTRITION EDUCATION TO DUFB SITES. SNAP RECIPIENTS STIMULATE THE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND OPPORTUNITY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

THE ARKANSAS COALITION FOR OBESITY PREVENTION (ARCOP) HAS EXPERIENCE WITH DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING SUCCESSFUL DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS (DUFB) NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM. ACROSS THE REGION, THE STATE OF ARKANSAS HAS EXPERIENCED THE GREATEST PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SNAP AUTHORIZED MARKETS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. THIS INCREASE IS THE REFLECTION OF TWO PILOTED PROGRAMS, ONE BEING THE 2016 FINI PILOT PROGRAM (FORMERLY USED ARKANSAS HUNGER RELIEF ALLIANCE AS A FIDUCIARY), USING DUFB AT FARMERS' MARKETS AND GROCERY STORES. FROM 2015 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2017 THE INCREASE WAS 427%. IN 2017, ARCOP STARTED THE DUFB INITIATIVE IN FARMERS' MARKETS AND HAS EXPANDED TO 18 MARKETS, FOUR GROCERY STORES AND SEVEN MOBILE MARKET SITES.ARKANSAS' 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSED ACT 1101 IN THE REGULAR SESSION 2017. ITS PURPOSE IS TO SUPPORT THE DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) AND ASSOCIATED RETAILERS; TO EXPAND NUTRITION EDUCATION AT TARGETED SITES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ARCOP WAS NAMED IN THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION AS THE IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION.OVERARCHING GOALS:1. INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SITES PROVIDING DUFB'S TO SNAP BENEFICIARIES PURCHASING FLOCAL PRODUCE ENCOMPASSING A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR MARKET MATCH, UP TO $20/DAY COUPLED WITH A COMPREHENSIVE NUTRITION OUTREACH PROGRAM.2. INCREASE SNAP AND DUFB PARTICIPATION IN ARKANSAS.3. IMPLEMENT THE DUFB FRAMEWORK FOR A STATEWIDE UNIFIED PROGRAM OF SNAP INCENTIVE MATCHING MARKETS FOR THE PURCHASE OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN EVERY REGION OF THE STATE, COVERING AT LEAST 60 OF 75 COUNTIES IN ARKANSAS.