Food Access and Nutrition
Food Security
Food security is defined as the state of having access to a sufficient quantity of safe, affordable food. Food security is a concern for thousands of Butler County residents. Ten percent of the population or 18,350 individuals are estimated to be food insecure.
Our needs assessment told us that 73% percent of respondents identified the need for more affordable food options, and 58 percent of respondents identified the need for more healthy food options. Our focus groups told us that throughout the county, there is a need for more healthy food retailers, and in many communities, food retail options are limited to dollar stores, gas stations, and small markets, all of which offer food at higher prices than conventional grocery stores.
Procuring locally-grown food not only provides health and environmental benefits, but economic ones as well, for families and local producers.
Fresh Bucks Program
The Fresh Bucks Program is a partnership between Community Partnership, and Butler City Farmers’ Market vendors. It allows income eligible individuals to receive $150 worth of coupons to be spent at the market. Vouchers can be used to purchase fresh, unprepared foods such as fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, honey, and dairy products. Vouchers can be used as cash, or combined with cash, credit, or SNAP/EBT transactions.
To be eligible to receive Fresh Bucks, families must have a gross monthly income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines based on the family size. To enroll, the Fresh Bucks Application, Food Security Matrix, and copies of all household income must be submitted before May 15th. Space is limited and the program does fill quickly each year. A CP staff member will contact you to confirm receipt of your application and complete any additional enrollment steps. Vouchers are typically mailed out at the end of May in time for the Butler Farmer’s Market opening day on Memorial Day weekend.
Click here to download the Fresh Bucks Application and Food Security Matrix. Completed applications can be sent to:
Community Partnership
C/O Dr. Sandra Curry
122 Mccune Dr Building 8,
Butler, PA 16001
Food Distributions
In response to Covid-19, Community Partnership and the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank have teamed up to perform monthly free food distributions provided to residents of Butler County. Residents take home between 30 and 50 pounds of fresh produce, meat, dairy, and other products monthly. The program serves between 300 to 400 families a month. Because families self-declare their eligibility, no income information is necessary to receive food.
Butler County hosts both a drive-through and a walk-up food distribution. The drive-through distribution is typically held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at Lernerville Speedway, 313 North Pike Road, in Sarver, Pennsylvania. The distribution starts at 11am and runs until 12:30 pm or until all food shares have been distributed. The walk-up distribution is also typically held on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Butler City Farmers Market, 205 South Chestnut Street, in Butler, Pa. The walk-through food distribution starts at 4:30pm and runs until 6pm, or until all shares have been distributed.
A calendar with dates and time for upcoming distributions can be found here.
Demonstration Kitchen
On our recent community needs assessment, 37% percent
of respondents indicated that education on cooking, food preservation, and preparation was a key community need. Qualitative data gathering efforts at the Produce to People distribution, at our food pantry network, and at our focus groups told us that individuals and families need more information about preparing healthy meals. Our demonstration kitchen project, called “Welcome to the Table”, is funded through a Specialty Crop Block Grant features our on-staff chef who visits our food pantry network during the winter months, and will travel with our mobile farmer’s market, The Produce Cart, during the summer months.
We are regularly uploading new recipes and cooking videos on our Produce Cart website. Our recipes and instructional videos can be found here.
Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank Collective Impact Council
CP participates in a council that is led by Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank. The council focuses on creating solutions to food access issues in Butler County.
The Mobile Market “The Produce Cart”
The Produce Cart is a mobile farmers’ market that serves food-insecure communities in Butler, Beaver, and Lawrence counties. In 2023, The Produce Cart visited communities that lack a full-service grocery store in their downtown corridors, including Butler, Petrolia, New Castle, Beaver Falls, and Aliquippa. Locally grown and/or sourced products are carried whenever possible.
CP purchases the meat products, dairy products, and fruit and vegetables it carries from local vendors. The market has regularly scheduled stops at locations in each community that are convenient for customers who may have to drive or walk to shop each week.
The Produce Cart accepts Fresh Bucks (in Butler County), SNAP/EBT and Cash/Card payments, as well as vouchers issued by our partners at Primary Health Network.
Our recipes and instructional videos can be found on The Produce Cart website, and our summer schedule will be posted there as soon as it is available.
For more information call: 724-766-8483