Brevard County, working through The University of Florida/Brevard Extension Service and Housing and Human Services, have started pop-up farmers markets, new food assistance programs for people affected by COVID-19.

Brevard residents can sign up at the site and receive $50 in CARES Act dollars, in the form of tokens, that they can use to purchase fruits, vegetables, honey, coffee, eggs, herbs, and other items. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) also will be available.

Beth Schepanski called the program a tremendous help. “I’m going to become vegetarian,” Schepanski said. “I’ve been unemployed since the pandemic started, so this is very valuable.”

Shoppers are not the only ones to benefit. Sales for vendors at the pop-up markets are improving, too.

“The tokens from the CARES Act, in my opinion, are absolutely wonderful,” Nonna D’s Olive Pit owner Lou DePalma said. “I'm easily tripling what [the business] I normally would be doing.” 

Brevard County Commissioners set aside about $4 million from its CARES Act funding to go toward food stability programs like the pop-up farmers markets. They said they hope to put one of the pop-up markers in each of south, central, and north Brevard County. The county plans to open the market weekly and to continue the program until December.

 “I have the ability to go back if we need additional [money],” Brevard County Housing and Human Services Director Ian Golden said. “Initially when we set up this program, we set aside about $250,000, and if it gets popular, I’ll allocate more dollars.”

To be eligible to participate, residents complete a self-declaration form that will be available at the markets and provide a photo ID that includes an address that matches the one entered on the self-declaration form. 

The next pop-up farmers market, held in conjunction with the Titusville Chamber of Commerce and the City of Titusville, will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, August 14 at the Welcome Center at 419 South Hopkins Ave., in Titusville, 3-6 p.m.