Social and health equity is one of The Endowment’s four guiding pillars, alongside education, community safety, and community development. In alignment with this mission, The Endowment awarded a $4,528 Community Grant in spring 2025 to the Wilmington Farmers Market to support its Double Bucks Program.
Every Saturday morning, rain or shine, the Wilmington Farmers Market comes to life at 5329 Oleander Drive. Beneath the canopy of oak trees, local farmers, bakers, and artisans gather to offer the best of what southeastern North Carolina grows and makes, from just-picked produce and pasture-raised meats to handmade breads and honey.
But this market is about more than food. It’s about connection, between farmers and families, producers and neighbors, and healthy food for the residents of New Hanover County and beyond.
The Double Bucks Program makes fresh, local food more accessible by allowing SNAP participants to double their dollars at the market. For every dollar spent using an EBT card, shoppers receive a matching dollar to purchase additional healthy, locally grown foods. This initiative strengthens community health, supports local farmers, and helps families stretch their grocery budgets. It uplifts both growers and eaters, ensuring that farm-fresh food is not a luxury, but is accessible for all.
The Wilmington Farmers Market is powered by its mission to:
- Support local farmers and producers through direct-to-consumer opportunities
- Provide access to healthy food for people of all income levels, including those who are food insecure
- Partner with organizations like the New Hanover County Department of Health and Human Services to connect clients with fresh food through health outreach programs
- Strengthen collaborations with food banks, sustainability groups, and nonprofits that share the vision of a healthier, more resilient Wilmington
This is what community looks like, farmers, neighbors, and organizations coming together to grow something greater than themselves.
The market’s impact reflects the purpose of The Endowment’s Community Grants Program: to invest in organizations that strengthen the fabric of New Hanover County. Building on the success of the 2025 pilot initiative, which supported projects like the Wilmington Farmers Market, The Endowment’s 2026 Community Grants Program will offer awards of up to $15,000, with total funding capped at $1 million. This next phase ensures continued, meaningful support for innovative and collaborative projects that promote long-term resilience and equitable opportunity.
We invite you to experience it for yourself. The Wilmington Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., year-round, in front of Tidal Creek Cooperative Food Market. If you’re a SNAP participant, come double your dollars, and support local farmers while you shop.
