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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Mike Nelson, Director of Community Events
DATE: 01/23/2026
SUBJECT:
Link-Up Illinois, a program of Experimental Station (an Illinois 501-c-3 nonprofit charitable organization) has awarded the Aurora Farmers Market an EBT double-match grant in the amount of $7,863.00 for the 2026 Aurora Farmers Market season.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of the Link-Up Illinois double-match grant is to allow EBT users to double their spending value at our farmers markets by matching their funds being pulled. It is a double-match program - for example, if a market patron deducts $25 from their bank account, they then receive $25 in EBT tokens for them to use on fresh produce and plants that grow food for the household. The grant makes fresh local foods more accessible to those in our community that may be facing food insecurities.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Aurora (the Aurora Farmers Market) has received this exact grant in past years and has had a wonderful experience with the program. EBT users at the Aurora Farmers Market rely on and are grateful for this grant as it provides their families with additional foods they may not have had access to.
DISCUSSION:
The Link-Up Illinois double-match grant funds will be utilized for the 2026 Aurora Farmers Market season and will be housed in the Aurora Farmers Market expenditure line (101-1607-450.53-09). Weekly reporting will occur from the City of Aurora, IL to the Link-Up Illinois organization through the 2026 market season.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
By accepting this Link-Up Illinois double-match grant, the City of Aurora, IL (the Aurora Farmers Market) will be able to provide market patrons with additional funds for healthy produce and items for the 2026 market season.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
I request City Council approval to accept the $7,863.00 grant from Link-Up Illinois to provide our Aurora Farmers Market patrons with opportunities to receive additional dollars to spend on heathy produce and items through the 202...
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