Double Up Food Bucks, Iowa’s statewide healthy food incentive program, is coming to Iowa City – starting July 2. The Double Up program matches the value of federal nutrition benefits spent at participating farmers markets, helping people bring home healthier, locally grown fruits and vegetables.

 Here’s how Double Up works: Double Up matches the value of SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps) purchases made at participating sites with additional dollars to spend on fresh, locally grown produce. For instance, a family that spends $10 in SNAP benefits at a participating farmers market receives an additional $10 in Double Up Food Bucks to purchase Iowa-grown fruits and vegetables.

The wins are three-fold: low-income families eat healthier food, local farmers gain new customers and make more money, and more food dollars stay in the local economy. Each has a ripple effect of benefits.

Since its launch in 2009, Double Up has grown from five farmers markets in Detroit, MI to a nationwide success story with more than 150 sites including 142 farmer markets and direct marketing farms. To date, it has benefited more than 300,000 low-income families with healthy, fresh food.

Locally, the program is funded by the City of Iowa City with support from the Johnson County Public Health Department and the Healthiest State Initiative.

On May 20, Iowa City Parks and Recreation hosted a local qualifying track meet at City High on May 20. 

Results from the Live Healthy Iowa State Track Meet on Saturday, June 11 are as follows:

Aniah Patrick
1st Place, Long Jump, Girls 13-14 (7’03”)                 

Mai DePrenger
4th Place 100M, Girls 11-12 (00:14.68),    

Will Arling
2nd place, Long Jump, Boys 13-14 (7’04”)

Emily Arling
10th place, Softball Throw, Girls 11-12 (112’06”)

Tyler Randall                    
2nd place, 200M, Boys 11-12 (00:30.01)
3rd place, 100 M, Boys 11-12 (00:14.52)
3rd Place, Long Jump, Boys 11-12 (6’07”)

Kenzie Randall                 
5th Place, 200 M, Girls 9-10 (00:33.53)
5th Place, Long Jump, Girls 9-10 (5’07”)
10th Place, 100M (0:16.72)

Ammon Smith                  
5th Place, 800 M, Boys 11-12 (2:48.46)

Quinton Logan                 
7th place, 100 M, Boys 9-10 (00:15.43)

Relay Results:

Mai DePrenger, Emily Arling, Norah Jesperson, Gabby Love
2nd place, 4x100, Girls 11-12 (1:03.91)

Tyler Randall, Darren Randall, Ammon Smith, Dylan Michalson
 2nd place, 4x100, Boys 11-12 (1:01.58)

Iowa City Parks and Recreation Aquatics staff have some tips for happy and healthy swimming this summer.

Click the link:

http://bit.ly/290PlOs

Connect with friends, family and neighbors at Party in the Park, Thursdays, 6:30 - 8 p.m. throughout the summer. Enjoy live music, games, crafts, and frozen treats. Party in the Park events are open to the public and require no fee to participate. 

The remaining events include:

• 7/7/16 Willow Creek Park  —  1117 Teg Drive
  Entertainment: Ron Hills
• 7/14/16 Court Hill Park  —  2825 Friendship Street
  Entertainment: Loren & Margaret Brumm

• 7/21/16 Wetherby Park  —  2400 Taylor Drive
  Entertainment: Pennies on the Rail

• 7/28/16 Oakgrove Park  —  700 Page Street
  Entertainment: Larry  Mossman & Peter Rolnick

• 8/4/16 Highland Park  —  Highland Avenue & Keokuk Street
  Entertainment: Marc & Brandi Janssen

• 8/11/16 Mercer Park  —  2701 Bradford Drive
  Entertainment: Kalimbaman & the Yahoo Drummers         

The Market Music line-up for July will bring many favorite local performers to the Downtown Iowa City Farmers Markets. Stop by the Wednesday evening and Saturday morning markets each week at Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp in the 400-block of Washington Street (across from City Hall) for fresh foods, homemade baked goods and other items, and great live music by some of the area’s best musicians. Market Music is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturdays.

The musical line-up for July is as follows:

• Wednesday, July 6: Lewis Knudsen
• Saturday, July 9: Terrapin Isle
• Wednesday, July 13: The East Enders
• Saturday, July 16: Deb Singer
• Wednesday, July 20: Slewgrass
• Saturday, July 23: The Beggarmen
• Wednesday, July 27: The Awful Purdies
• Saturday, July 30: Old Cap String Band

Hours for the Iowa City Farmers Markets are: Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at Mercer Park, 1317 Dover Street; Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. at Chauncey Swan Ramp; and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to noon at Chauncey Swan. The Mercer Market operates through Aug. 30 and the Chauncey Swan Market operates through the end of October.

Market Music is co-sponsored by the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department and the University of Iowa Community Credit Union.

The Iowa City Parks and Recreation Playgrounds Program provides games, arts and crafts, nature activities and special events for children completeing grades K-6. Younger children may attend with a participating adult 18 years of age and older.

This is a drop in program and children are welcome to come and go as they please, so parents should use discretion when sending children without a caregiver. Playgrounds will not open if it is raining, and will close if rain begins after opening.

Playgrounds program operates Monday – Friday, June 6 – July 29 (no meeting on July4). This is a no fee program. 

Find a Playground Program near you:

• Highland Park
  Monday-Friday 9:30-11:30am
• North Market Square Park
  Monday-Friday 9:30-11:30am
• Wetherby Park
  Monday-Friday 1-3 pm
• Willow Creek Park
  Monday-Friday 1-3 pm

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Joyce Carroll, Program Supervisor at 319-356-5223 or joyce-carroll@iowa-city.org.