Senator Eldridge Secures $50,000 in Senate FY23 Budget for Assabet-Co-Op Market
$50,000 Earmark Will Fund IT Systems to Allow Co-Op to accept SNAP Benefits
Maynard, MA – During the debate on the Senate FY23 budget, State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) secured funding of $50,000 for the Assabet Co-Op Market to allow the market to accept SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps. Last week, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a $49.78 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23). SNAP benefits provide monthly funds on an EBT card for low-income families to purchase food at participating stores.
With unanimous support, the budget makes significant, critical and targeted investments in the areas of education, healthcare, housing and community support to meet the on-the-ground challenges brought on by the global pandemic and ongoing financial uncertainty.
“Maynard is a community with significant socioeconomic diversity. By providing funding for SNAP benefit accessibility, this earmark will ensure that the Assabet Co-Op Market will be welcoming to all,” stated State Senator Jamie Eldridge. Senator Eldridge has represented Maynard as its state senator since 2009.
The Assabet Co-Op Market will be a full-service, community-owned grocery store in Maynard. The Market currently has over 1,900+ owners who have provided $2 million in owner loans. Assabet Co-Op Market will be located in Victory Plaza at 86 Powder Mill Road in Maynard.
“We can't thank Senator Eldridge enough for securing this crucial funding for our community-owned grocery store. These funds will help us achieve a core piece of our mission: increasing access to locally sourced, healthy food for all,” stated Sam McCormick, general manager of Assabet Co-Op Market.
Unlike corporate chains, food co-ops are totally independent and owned by the community members who shop there. Instead of focusing on investors, food co-ops focus on their community — nourishing everyone according to their budget and cooking style, according to a leading website on co-ops.
SNAP benefits are administered by the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance. If you are food insecure, please visit their website.
The Senate’s FY23 Budget is available on the Massachusetts legislature’s website, by clicking here. Now that the Senate and Massachusetts House of Representatives have passed their respective budget proposals, both branches will now work together, form a conference committee and reconcile differences.
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