Grabbing fresh veggies and crisp apples straight from a farmers market could just become a whole lot easier for SNAP recipients. Announced in a recent partnership between Mecklenburg County Public Health, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council, and the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market, residents can now use their SNAP benefits to pick out fresh, healthy foods at the area's most bustling farmers market venue.

Starting Aug. 10, SNAP/EBT and the SNAP Double Bucks program will spread out their roots into the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market, situated at 1801 Yorkmont Road. On a proud note, Dr. Kimberly Scott, Mecklenburg County assistant Public Health director of Population Health, said, "We are excited to offer this service to our residents so they can enjoy the summer’s bounty at the largest farmers market in the county," as per a statement obtained by MeckNC News. "We are always looking to increase access to fresh and healthy foods and trying to meet residents where they shop. I’m proud of the partnership that made this possible."

The logistics: SNAP participants head to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council table to swipe their EBT card for an amount they choose, receiving wooden tokens to exchange for food at SNAP-qualified vendors. EBT dollars stretch further with the Double Bucks program, where they're matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $50 per EBT card. It's a similar experience to a cash transaction for any SNAP-approved food. Plus, these tokens don’t spoil like lettuce; they can be saved and used on a different market day.

This initiative is part of a pilot program, running every other Saturday from Aug. 10 to Oct. 19, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.