Veteran Appreciation Month
Veteran Appreciation Month addresses food insecurity by supplying fresh produce to local veterans, while supporting local farmers.
Roughly 1 in 10 Cheshire County, New Hampshire residents are food insecure.
Our community has 6,280 food insecure community members (Source: Feeding America, 2021).
During the harvest season, farmers experience an abundance of crops but often do not have enough customers to purchase these crops.
This leaves an economic burden on local farmers, leads to food waste, and does not address local food insecurity.
In 2018, the Cheshire County Conservation District partnered with Cheshire Medical Center's Center for Population Health to address this problem. Throughout the weekends of the month of September, Veteran Appreciation Month provides $20 vouchers for Cheshire County Veterans to redeem for fresh, locally grown produce at participating markets.
Since piloting in 2018, Veteran Appreciation Month has expanded to four participating markets in Hinsdale, Jaffrey, Keene, and Winchester. Expanding coverage and reach of our program throughout the region!
In 2024, Cheshire County Veterans redeemed $2,450.00 in vouchers at the Hinsdale Farmers' Market, $13,145.00 at the Farmer's Market of Keene, $2,000.00 at the Winchester Farmer's Market, and $1,725.00 at TEAM Jaffrey's Farmers' Market.
In 2024, Cheshire County Veterans redeemed a total of $19,320 at all four markets throughout Veteran Appreciation Month. This is a 17.5% increase of redeemed vouchers, as compared to 2022 (While the program launched in 2018, all 4 current markets began participation in 2022).
Top Purchased Items in 2024 Included:
- Bread and Baked Goods
2. Maple Products (candy, syrup, etc.)
3. Produce
4. Miscellaneous (condiments, salsa, etc.)
5. Meat and Eggs
6. Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.)
Top Purchased Products 2024 (Hinsdale, Jaffrey, Keene, and Winchester Markets):
Bread and Baked Goods: 29%
Maple Products (syrup, candy, etc.): 27%
Produce: 27%
Miscellaneous (condiments, salsa, etc.): 9%
Meat and Eggs: 7%
Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.): 1%
In 2024, 490 unique Cheshire County Veterans participated in Veteran Appreciation Month. This was a 44% increase in participation from 2023, and the highest amount of participants on record!
How the Veteran Appreciation Month Program has expanded over time:
2018
The Veteran Appreciation Month Program is launched as a pilot program at the farmer's market in Hinsdale. 57 veterans participated, with $2,890 redeemed.
2019
The program expands to the farmer's markets in Hinsdale and Keene. 138 veterans participated, with $6,360 redeemed.
2020
The program expands to the farmer's markets in Hinsdale, Keene, and Jaffrey. 236 veterans participated, with $12,100 redeemed.
2021
The program continues at the farmer's markets in Hinsdale, Keene, and Jaffrey. 258 veterans participated, with $14,200 redeemed.
2022
The program continues at the farmer's market in Keene and expands to Winchester. 304 veterans participated, with $16,195 redeemed.
2023
The program has four participating farmer's markets: Hinsdale, Keene, Jaffrey, and Winchester. 312 veterans participated, with $19,965 redeemed.
2024
The program has four participating farmer's markets: Hinsdale, Keene, Jaffrey, and Winchester. 490 veterans participated, with $19,320 redeemed. Our highest participation numbers yet!
01 / 04
1
Winchester Market
2024 was the third participating year for the Winchester Farmer's Market on main, in which $2,000.00 vouchers were redeemed.
2
Keene Market
Veterans at the Farmer’s Market of Keene redeemed $13,145 in vouchers in 2024, compared to $11,100 in vouchers in 2023, $9,725 vouchers in 2022, $8,710 in 2021, $6,955 in 2020, $3,820 in 2019. Voucher numbers have increased by nearly 17% since 2023, and by nearly 110% since the Farmer’s Market of Keene’s first participating year in 2019.
3
Hinsdale Market
Veterans at the Hinsdale Farmer's Market redeemed $2,450 in vouchers in 2024, compared to $1,920 in vouchers in 2023, $3,840 vouchers in 2021, $3,740 in 2020, $2,540 in 2019, and $2,890 in 2018. Voucher numbers have increased by nearly 24% since 2023.
4
Jaffrey Market
Veterans at the TEAM Jaffrey Community Farmers' Market redeemed $1,725 in vouchers in 2024, compared to $1,405 in vouchers in 2023, to $1,650 vouchers in 2021, and $1,405 in 2020. Voucher numbers have increased by 20% since 2023.
Hear What Our Veterans Have to Say About this Program:
I take advantage your generous program each Autumn. We have a small home garden but it is always an incentive to visit the Keene Farmers Market knowing I will have the veteran's coupons to spend with that extra money. I also really appreciate the recognition I get for being a Vietnam veteran. Thank you.
I am immensely grateful for the Cheshire County Conservation District veteran appreciation month. It gives all of us the opportunity to purchase healthy food and to support local agriculture. As a regular customer of the area markets I can also tell you that the vouchers offered during Veteran Appreciation month inspire many people to support local agriculture who otherwise might not come out. It is a wonderful symbiotic cycle of caring and I am hopeful that the program will be supported in the future.
Thank you; So much for your generous contributions toward the Veterans Appreciation Month. It is a win, win, win for our community in support of local Farmers, Veterans, and the markets. It is great to see other veterans there, enjoying the sweetness of Maple Syrup, wonderful baked breads, and great selection of fresh vegetables. We look forward to participating every year, so I hope it will continue!
I really appreciate the vouchers. More importantly it is good to see that all veterans are treated with much respect and care.
I would like to thank all those involved in this program. I am a DAV on a fixed income and this helps.
I have been very pleased in being included in the veteran voucher program amongst the three farmers markets. I have been able to get some good produce and other treats which made our family very happy. I think this is a wonderful service in September and I look forward to it every year. I also really appreciate the kindness and willingness of the volunteers being flexible and accommodating.
$20.00 might not seem like a lot, but when I can spend it on local items, as an ad (active duty) vet with limited income, this is a huge help to me. Every program that helps veterans today is a blessing. Thank you.
For those who sacrificed some/all it's nice to be appreciated.
This program fills in on weeks when cash is very short. Social security is not enough.
This program helps us get produce locally which we otherwise wouldn't be able to get.
Help the farmers, help the vets. Keep it going!
How You Can Support Veteran Appreciation Month
Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated, and will go directly to Veteran Appreciation Month programs: https://www.cheshireconservation.org/veterans
Prefer to donate via mail? Checks can be made payable to "CCCD" and addressed to 11 Industrial Park Dr. Walpole, NH 03608. Make sure to put "Veteran Appreciation Month" in the memo.
Email a testimonial of your Veteran Appreciation Month experience to info@cheshireconservation.org
