New Online Grocery Shopping Access Available for SNAP Participants

Mayor Michelle Wu today announced SNAP participants can now use their EBT cards to make online grocery orders and receive grocery delivery from the Daily Table, a nonprofit food store with locations in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Cambridge. The Mayor’s Office of Food Access (OFA) provided Daily Table with $93,000 using American Rescue Plan funds to support the SNAP online initiative. The Mayor made the announcement while visiting Daily Table’s Roxbury store, interacting with customers and helping to fill online orders.

In a program that began last week, SNAP participants can now use their EBT cards to order groceries online for in-store pickup or delivery via Daily Table’s website or app. This service is ideal for those with mobility challenges, or families who prefer not to shop in-person during the ongoing pandemic. The delivery program is aligned with Mayor Wu's Food Justice Agenda to increase Boston residents' access to fresh, nutritious, affordable, and culturally relevant food.

“Expanding food access requires meeting residents where they are and making it easier for busy families to get nutritious, affordable meals,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and winter storms, not everyone has the ability to go into a store. I’m grateful to Daily Table for their partnership in ensuring that Boston’s residents, especially our seniors and those with health concerns, can use their SNAP benefits from the comfort of their own homes to access culturally appropriate food.”

“Our mission is to provide fresh, tasty, and nutritious food to communities most in need,” said Doug Rauch, Daily Table Founder and President. “Over the last two years, the communities we serve have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID pandemic with higher rates of unemployment and skyrocketing food insecurity. SNAP redemption levels in our stores have nearly doubled since the pandemic started. Enabling our customers using SNAP benefits to order free grocery delivery at the same low prices as in our stores democratizes access and empowers customers to get the healthy, affordable food they need and deserve.”  

Daily Table is one of the first grocery stores in Massachusetts to offer online SNAP benefits, and the only locally-owned, non-profit grocer in the program. All Daily Table customers, including those purchasing groceries with SNAP benefits, who live within a two-mile radius of any Daily Table location are eligible for free delivery. Anyone can shop at Daily Table, but the small business’ focus is on helping end food insecurity.

SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is the largest federal nutrition assistance program. SNAP provides benefits to eligible low-income individuals and families via an Electronic Benefits Transfer card. Massachusetts first launched the SNAP online purchasing program in 2020. A full list of businesses in Massachusetts affiliated with the SNAP Online Purchasing Program can be found on the Commonwealth’s website. 

“The Office of Food Access is thrilled to work with Daily Table on ensuring all Boston's residents have access to healthy, nutritious foods,” said Hae-In Kim, Deputy Director of the Mayor's Office of Food Access. “This initiative as a whole will further the goals of the Community Grants Program - making healthy food more affordable and accessible to communities most impacted by food insecurity.”

Daily Table is 1 of 34 organizations that received American Rescue Plan funding through OFA as part of the Community Grants Program. The nonprofit grocery chain was awarded $93,000 for this online SNAP delivery program. The funding covers the following:

• A portion of staff time to implement and manage SNAP online
• Underwriting the costs of providing free ordering and delivery services to SNAP online customers 
• Supporting creation and translation of SNAP online marketing materials, advertising, as well as photography/video costs
• Connecting with community organizations who work with SNAP recipients

This program builds on the City’s efforts to expand food options for families using SNAP benefits. Boston’s Double Up Food Bucks program provides SNAP recipients with 50 percent off all fresh fruits and vegetables with their EBT card. Double Up Food Bucks incentivizes SNAP customers to purchase nutritious, locally-sourced items while supporting Boston’s small businesses. A list of participating grocery stores and other food justice initiatives can be found on OFA’s website. SNAP online does not pair with the Double Up Food Bucks program.

ABOUT THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF FOOD ACCESS

The Mayor’s Office of Food Access (OFA) strives to give all residents of Boston access to nutritious, affordable, culturally-connected food. Keeping the diversity of Boston’s population at heart, OFA’s goal is to create a more food secure City with a vibrant, inclusive food culture.