Fresh Food Connections: Using Food Assistance Benefits Online

Do you do your grocery shopping online?

According to Capital One’s Online Grocery Shopping Statistics, 82% of U.S. adults had purchased groceries online in the past 3 months. Today, 43% of households with kids or teenagers purchase online groceries at least once a month, and that number is only growing, with online food shopping more popular with younger generations.

Ordering groceries online is convenient and improves access for folks who may have challenges getting to and navigating a grocery store. SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is the largest, most widely used food assistance benefit program. Funds are provided to users via an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card (often called the Bridge Card in Michigan) that can be used like a debit card at many grocery stores and farmers markets. These benefits can be used online at large retailers, like Walmart, Meijer, Amazon, and Aldi, but typically not at smaller businesses in Michigan.

Using SNAP Benefits Online in Michigan

In Michigan, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan Farmers Market Association, and others have supported a range of projects to increase the ability to use SNAP benefits at farmers markets and directly with farmers. This means that Michiganders receiving SNAP can use their benefits to purchase a wide variety of fresh, healthy local fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy products, bread, and maple syrup. SNAP benefits can even be used to buy seeds and food-producing plants to establish a vegetable garden.

The Fresh Food Connections program seeks to increase access to fresh food by connecting SNAP-eligible communities to farms and farmers markets that offer online ordering. Through collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS), Taste the Local Difference (TLD) supports the foundation of online SNAP sales at Michigan farms and farmers markets.

“When people can use their SNAP benefits with local farmers, it’s a win-win for everyone. The customer gets fresh, local produce, and the farmer gets additional revenue,” explains TLD Director of Impact Erika Tebbens. “Plus, if it’s a direct-to-consumer transaction, which is often the case with the Fresh Food Connection’s farms, this means relationships are being forged within the community. People form relationships with their farmers, try new vegetables and recipes, and cultivate a deeper connection to the local food system.”

This program began in 2021 with 6 participating locations in Washtenaw and Wayne Counties. Each location was provided with technical support to implement strategies to offer flexible payment options or to accept SNAP online for their business. Sites adapted their offerings to meet the needs of their customers.

“Supporting food assistance programs has always been a core value of our farmers markets,” Dayna Popkey, Program Director at Growing Hope and Ypsilanti Farmers Market Manager. “When we started the Ypsi Area Online Market in 2020, making sure customers using SNAP/EBT were able to access the online platform was a top priority. Fresh Food Connections has provided funding and resources that make it easier for us to reach customers using food assistance and provide them with convenient access to fresh, local foods.”

“It is our hope that the program will continue to grow and expand across the state, beginning with communities that have high food insecurity,” Janee Moore, MDHHS Food Access Public Health Consultant, said in 2022. “Fresh Food Connection strives to create a better food system by supporting farmers and communities to provide local, affordable fresh food.”