UCSD Leading SoCal's New Food Stamp Program

SAN DIEGO, CA -- UC San Diego is leading a unique food stamp program for southern California residents. The program, ¡Más Fresco! More Fresh, allows recipients to purchase more fruits and vegetables a day.

KQED reported the program is funded with a $3.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Aside from overseeing the program, UCSD researchers will study the results of the program's effectiveness.

"The goal of the four-year program, like that of its counterparts in other states, is to improve diets and overall health by making fresh produce more affordable," KQED reported.

But the program isn't just helping recipients pay for food, it also has incentives.

Participants earn $1 for every CalFresh dollar spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. The dollars earned from the incentive can then be used to purchase more fruits and vegetables, according to UCSD.

Participants are randomly assigned to earn up to $10, $20 or $40 per month.

"In-store nutrition education is also provided, including healthy food shelf-labeling, cooking classes, and store tours to increase healthy eating knowledge and self-efficacy among CalFresh participants," according to UCSD.

The program has been effective for at least one Orange County resident.

Rebeca Gonzalez told KQED she "has regularly filled her shopping cart with the fruits and vegetables of her childhood — not only avocados and artichokes, but pomegranates, various types of squash and more."

“Now I can buy them because I have the extra money," Gonzalez told KQED.

--Photo courtesy of UCSD