One in seven SNAP households buys groceries online, according to USDA data — phenomenal growth since the option first became available in New York State in spring 2019. Now online shopping is offered in 49 states and the District of Columbia, and the Agriculture Department said on Thursday it wants to flesh out the network of stores that offer digital sales to food stamp recipients.
The USDA said it would accept applications until Sept. 6 for $5 million in competitive grants for organizations that would provide technical support to help smaller, independent stores offer online purchasing and expand the number of stores offering online sales as a way to better serve communities and meet cultural food preferences.
“We are excited about this grant’s potential to provide new and existing retailers with tools to redeem SNAP benefits in ways that improve customer service for SNAP participants, especially those who face barriers in traveling to a physical store,” said Stacy Dean, USDA deputy undersecretary for nutrition.
Online sales began as a pilot program in eight states, with New York the first to offer the option. The program expanded rapidly after the pandemic struck in early 2020 and is now available in every state except Alaska. Still, advocates say the sales are not uniformly available or convenient in all areas within a state. Large national retailers, such as Amazon and Walmart, dominate the state-by-state lists of retailers in the program.