The Food Basket administers DA BUX in partnership with the Hawai‘i Good Food Alliance.
DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks (also known as “DA BUX”) partners with food retailers across the state to make Hawai‘i grown fruits and vegetables more affordable for low-income recipients of federal food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). When SNAP shoppers use their SNAP food dollars to purchase qualifying local produce at participating DA BUX food retailers, they receive a 50% discount on those items. As the DA BUX program administrator, The Food Basket reimburses participating food retailers for the local produce discounts issued.
Helps Farmers
1. Expands customer base
2. Increases sales and farm profits
3. Stimulates farm expansion in both acreage and crop diversity
4. Offers new marketing opportunities that complement existing wholesale systems
5. Provides good gateway markets for beginning farmers
Helps Our Local Economy
1. Keeps food dollars in the local economy
2. Builds community food self-reliance
3. Draws additional federal funds into the state as a match
4. Creates economic opportunity in high-need communities
5. Shifts public policy so that future federal nutrition assistance programs address health, hunger, nutrition and support a sustainable food system
Helps Families
1. Doubles purchasing power of low-income households
2. Improves access to affordable and healthy food
3. educes rural food deserts
4. Creates jobs and economic opportunity
5. Reduces diet-related health problems and lowers healthcare costs