Farmers market dates that take EBT

F St Farmers Market (Bakersfield)

Every Saturday 7:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Health Fact:

Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week. A great start is 30 minutes a day for five days a week.

Source: CDC Adult Activity

From operating out of a closet as a pantry to thirty years later having a warehouse full of food for the community and weekly food distribution, the New Life Pantry serves over 5,000 people monthly. 

Connie Totten explained starting the pantry was a calling from God after she and her husband had started to go to the church, New Life, three months prior. She went to her pastor, and they started the pantry in a closet at the church. She connected with CAPK Foodbank, who also helped her transition into having a commodity. A commodity means that in addition to having a pantry, they have food distributions.

The pantry is a client-choice pantry, meaning that people can come and shop for free and choose what they want to eat. Client choice pantries typically operate on a point-based system, allowing people to shop with their points. Totten feels this helps make sure people have a sense of dignity when shopping. 

"So, that they don't ashamed of having to do this, having to come through and get something that, you know, they can't pay for," said Totten about the importance of client choice. "I think it gives them hope that nobody is really looking at them saying, oh, look, you know, you don't have money to do this and stuff like that. We're just there to help them, that's all."

The pantry is part of the Nutrition Pantry Program (NPP) with CAPK CalFresh Healthy Living (CFHL). As partners, they receive signage for their pantry to promote healthy living and cookbooks with healthy recipes they give to the community. 

"You know, to me, it's encouragement, knowing that there is somebody out there who is looking at what we do and how we do it so I can refresh myself, okay, what else can I do?" said Totten about her partnership with CFHL. 

Although it is a pantry and food distribution, Totten sees it as much more than just giving food away. 

"It's just a beautiful thing that sometimes makes me cry," said Totten. "
Somebody will say, well, what did you do today, and I tell them, and it makes my heart not cry for hurt or pain, but cry for the hope and that what we're giving and the response that we get from them and how we speak and with them to give them honor and dignity."

To anybody thinking about starting a pantry, Totten encourages them to just for it. 

"It will grow once the word gets out and the opportunity not only for the food but for the camaraderie, the sharing, the laughing, the talking to them," advised Totten. "
Some of these people this is their only time that they come out. This is the only time they get hugs or a smile. You just never know who you're going to be serving," 

Totten expressed that she feels blessed to be able to serve the community. 

"I'm just like blessed, more than blessed. God is just looking down on us and giving us favor for those who walk through," said Totten. 

For more information on their services, you can visit our website.