Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers about Double Up Food Bucks MountainWise. Not in Western North Carolina? Visit the National Network.
General Program Questions
Double Up matches EBT Card, or food stamp, dollars spent on fruits and vegetables. The daily matching amount varies by location. That means families can get twice the fresh fruits and veggies.
Anyone receiving SNAP benefits is automatically eligible for the program. If you have an EBT Card, you are eligible for Double Up.
In Western North Carolina, there are 17 grocery stores, farmers markets and food hubs that participate in Double Up. Find a location or contact us to find a participating site near you.
At the farmers market, Double Up Food Bucks can only be used to purchase North Carolina-grown fruits, vegetables, and food-producing plants and seeds.
At the grocery store, Double Up Food Bucks can be used to purchase any fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables.
You can recommend a location to us to tell us where you want Double Up to take root in your area.
Double Up Food Bucks is available in many states and is growing every day. Visit Double Up America to find other state programs across the country.
Call us M-F, 9-5 at 919.274.8838.
Double Up at the Grocery Store
When you use your EBT Card, Double Up matches your fruit and vegetable purchases. For every $1 you spend on fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables, you earn $1 in Double Up Food Bucks to buy additional fruits and vegetables in the same grocery store. The daily matching amount varies by location.
Grocery stores may use coupons or a loyalty card to provide Double Up Food Bucks.
Double Up runs throughout the year at participating stores.
Double Up Food Bucks can be spent on any fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables in the store where you earned the Double Up Food Bucks.
There are 17 participating locations across Western North Carolina. Find one close to you.
Shopping at the Farmers Market
For every $1 spent with your EBT Card at participating farmers markets, you receive $1 of Double Up Food Bucks to spend on any North Carolina-grown fruits and vegetables. The daily matching amount varies by location.
EBT Card benefits can be spent on any SNAP-eligible items at the farmers market including fruits, vegetables, bread, eggs, and meat.
Double Up Food Bucks is available at Western North Carolina farmers markets during the market season. Check our location map to see which participating farmers markets near you are open.
Double Up Food Bucks is available at 9 farmers markets across Western North Carolina. Find one close to you.
No, there is no minimum amount.
The sky's the limit! Each day, you can spend as much as you want from your EBT Card. However, Double Up Food Bucks only matches a certain amount of purchases per day.
For example, if you use your EBT Card to spend $30 in SNAP benefits at the market, you could receive $20 in Double Up Food Bucks.
Most vendors that sell North Carolina-grown fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets accept Double Up Food Bucks. Look for Double Up Food Bucks signs displayed at market stalls or ask vendors before making a purchase.
Visit the market office or information booth. When you receive your SNAP tokens, they will match them with Double Up tokens.
Double Up tokens must be redeemed within one year.
Yes, you can return tokens, but you must have equal value in EBT tokens. For instance, to return $10 of Double Up Food Bucks tokens, you must have $10 of EBT tokens.
Get Involved
Tell others about us! We are always happy when people spread the word.
You can also help Double Up take root in your community by volunteering, recommending a location, and more.
Double Up Food Bucks is available in many states and is growing every day. Visit Double Up America to find other state programs across the country.
Get in touch and we'll be happy to discuss it with you.
SNAP and EBT
SNAP is a federal food assistance program that provides benefits (or food stamps) so that people in need can purchase healthy food.
Double Up Food Bucks doubles the value of SNAP benefits spent at participating farmers markets and grocery stores.
SNAP is the federal program that provides food assistance, often called food stamps, to those who need it. EBT stands for "Electronic Benefits Transfer" and is the mechanism to use SNAP benefits.
In North Carolina, people who are eligible for SNAP are provided an EBT Card. The EBT card is used to purchase eligible food products and access benefits electronically, through EBT, rather than using paper food stamps and checks.
Visit https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/social-services/food-and-nutrition-services-food-stamps/apply-food-and-nutrition-services-food-stamps-nc for information about how to qualify for SNAP/EBT.
Yes, you can use your EBT card out of state.
You can use your EBT card to buy groceries and seeds or plants that produce food. Items such as alcohol, tobacco products, vitamins, and non-food household items cannot be purchased with EBT.
No, pet food cannot be purchased with an EBT card.
You can visit https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/social-services/food-and-nutrition-services-food-stamps/apply-food-and-nutrition-services-food-stamps-nc to see if you qualify to receive SNAP and a EBT Card.