During the Covid-19 pandemic, AdkAction offered Emergency Food Packages, which provided free boxes of locally produced food delivered directly to homes across the Adirondacks. But we knew hunger didn’t end there.

As the immediate crisis shifted, so did we. By 2021, the initiative had become the Fair Food project, distributing monthly paper 30% discount coupons which could be redeemed when shopping for local fresh food, giving families in need more choices.

That model evolved again in 2022 to the Fair Food Card system we offer today: discrete, debit-style cards that are digitally reloaded with funds each month and can be used directly at participating Adirondack farms and food producers.

Each iteration reflected what AdkAction was learning in real time: dignity and choice are essential, programs need to be easy for families and farmers, and aid must adapt as conditions change.

For nearly four years, AdkAction provided monthly Fair Food Card stipends to 75 Adirondack families thanks to many generous grants, strong partnerships, and deep community trust. For participating families, it provided consistent access to healthy, local food. For farmers, it created lasting relationships with customers who might not otherwise have been able to shop locally.

Participants exiting the program recently shared what this support meant to them:

“This program has been a godsend over the last four years, and I’m grateful for everything you have provided our community.”

“I am so very grateful for all the help you provided. You’re all angels. Please keep me in mind if anything new comes up in the future.”

“Our family is truly grateful for the opportunities this program provided. It has been a great help, and we can’t thank you enough.”

“It was a tremendous blessing—for us, and for the local farmers we’ve gotten to know along the way.”

These reflections affirmed the care and impact behind the project, and they also pointed to a growing challenge.

When demand outpaces resources

The Fair Food Card became one of the longest, continuously operating direct cash aid programs of its kind. As the Fair Food Card project continued, interest grew and quickly outpaced available funding. The waitlist became longer, with many households hoping for support but with little likelihood that they would be able to participate under the existing structure, which prioritized continuity for participating families. While the project worked extremely well for those enrolled, it was increasingly clear that the model needed to evolve in order to reach more people more equitably over time.

This is a reality that AdkAction encounters often. Our projects are designed to respond to real needs, but they are also meant to adapt as those needs change and as we learn what works best. Some projects stay with us for many years. Others evolve into new forms through partnership and shared leadership.

The program today

The Fair Food Card project is ever evolving. Today, the program enters another new phase shaped by lessons learned over the past several years.

This year, 100 new food-insecure families have been enrolled in the program directly by WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) offices across six Adirondack counties, receiving $100 per month on a Fair Food Card through the end of December 2026, providing consistent access to local food while also offering predictability for farmers and producers.

WIC is a federal program that serves low-income families with pregnant women or children 5 years old and under. However, the stipends provided can be low, and very restrictive.

One WIC participant shared in January:

“While WIC helps with some fruits and vegetables, the remaining SNAP balance must stretch further than is realistically possible. We often find ourselves choosing foods based on cost rather than nutrition, and we consistently run out before the end of the month. Food pantries, while generous, typically offer shelf stable items that do not meet our daughter’s medical needs.

This program has already begun to lift an enormous weight from our shoulders… When you are a medical family, it can feel like the odds are ALWAYS stacked against you. Support like this feels rare and deeply meaningful. It reminds us that we are not invisible and that our children’s needs matter.”

AdkAction continues to fund and administer the project and enlist new vendor locations, while WIC Offices manage participant onboarding, card and survey distribution, and direct client support. This structure is designed for a year at a time. In 2027, AdkAction hopes to enroll the next cohort of up to 100 households through a partnership with WIC or other entity, with potential additional cohorts to follow in future years. By working through trusted partner networks that already provide wraparound support, aid can reach more families while ensuring participants have access to broader resources beyond food alone.

Together, we are working with families and WIC offices to better understand: How does life change when you have the money you need to purchase good food? What other bills can get paid off? What connection happens around the dinner table? What changes take place in the classroom when kids show up to school having eaten well? What anxieties are eased for parents with one fewer worry? We will communicate what we learn together with those who can help advocate for change across the state.

Exploring emergency response tools

Alongside the year-long Fair Food Card test project, AdkAction is also exploring how food access support can be deployed quickly during moments of acute need.

In November–December 2025, we piloted an Emergency Fair Food Card during the SNAP Freeze, when many families were left without benefits. Working with area school districts, this short-term card allowed for rapid response during a critical moment.

We are currently reviewing data and feedback from that test to understand what worked well and what could be improved. Those findings will help inform how an emergency version of the project might move evolve.

Carrying the work forward

The Fair Food Card project’s evolution reflects AdkAction’s role in the Adirondacks: identifying gaps, testing solutions, learning alongside our communities, and adapting when a model can better serve people in a new form.

What remains constant are the goals to improve food access, strengthen local farms, and respond thoughtfully to the realities families face across the region.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who has participated in, supported, and shaped the Fair Food Card project through these first four years. Their experiences continue to guide what comes next, as we work together to make life better across the Adirondacks.