FreshConnect Vouchers Available Free to Veterans

FreshConnect Vouchers Available Free to Veterans

The Dutchess County Division of Veterans' Services has received an allocation of FreshConnect vouchers to distribute to veterans living in Dutchess County. A New York State program, FreshConnect aims to expand access to fresh food in underserved communities to improve the diets of individuals in those communities and foster economic development. The program offers vouchers for veterans to purchase fresh foods at participating farmers markets and farm stands.

FreshConnect vouchers are available to veterans, servicemembers, and their immediate family members to be used to purchase fresh foods at participating farmers markets and farm stands; a list of vendors, categorized by county, is available on the State's website. A limited number of voucher packets, available in increments of $50 increments – each packet contains 25 vouchers with a $2 value each – are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Dutchess County Veterans' Services office, located at the MHA Veterans One-Stop, 1335 Route 44 in Pleasant Valley, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eligible recipients must personally sign a FreshConnect Voucher Packet Request and Acceptance Form in-person at the Veterans' Services office to receive vouchers; vouchers cannot be mailed, and proxies may not pick up and sign for checks.

State guidelines state vendors may only accept FreshConnect vouchers for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligible food items, including, but not limited to:

• Baked goods
• Breads
• Cereals
• Produce: fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, etc.
• Meats
• Fish and poultry
• Coffee (whole bean or ground)
• Seeds and plants that will produce food
• Eggs
• Pasta
• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Dairy products

According to State guidelines, FreshConnect vouchers are for SNAP-eligible food items only. Vouchers may not be used for any other product at the market; this includes, but is not limited to:

• Beer, wine, and liquor
• Cigarettes and tobacco
• Brewed coffee/tea (for consumption at the market)
• Pet foods
• Soaps and lotions
• Vitamins and medicines
• Hot foods (for consumption at the market)
• Other prepared foods (for consumption at the market)
• Seeds or plants that do not produce food (i.e. decorative plants and flowers)
• Crafts

Additional information about the FreshConnect program is available on the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets website.