In two states, a new program has started to improve the benefits given to people who get Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This program offers extra monthly rewards of up to $60. This program, which is backed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is a creative way to get low-income families to eat healthier by giving them money for buying fruits and veggies.
The USDA is giving $25 million to states to help them test out the Electronic Healthy Incentives Projects (eHIP). The goal of this program is to give SNAP users more money to spend on fruits and vegetables at stores that are taking part. It is the goal of the program to encourage healthier eating by making it easier for SNAP users to buy these important food groups.
People and families with low incomes can get help from SNAP all over the United States, including Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories. Benefits are sent to people every month on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which can be used to buy certain foods at stores that accept them.
States benefiting from the SNAP expansion
Colorado is the second state to start putting the eHIP plan into action with grant money from the USDA. Louisiana was going to be the next state to start the program after Washington state. In Colorado, people who get SNAP can get up to $20 back for each sale, up to a maximum of $60 per month.
The USDA says that this project will “make it easier for SNAP households to access the healthy foods they need for lifelong health and well-being.” The rules are the same in Washington, where the program started in June 2023.
KFF Health says that the average SNAP payment in Colorado each month is $214. With the extra benefits that the eHIP offers, people who fully utilize the reimbursement could see their benefits rise to $274 per month, which would mean a 28% increase in their monthly food spending.
In Colorado, the eHIP program is being rolled out at a number of partner stores and farmer’s markets. Individuals who want to join the program don’t have to do anything else; all they have to do is shop at one of the authorized stores and buy certain fruits and veggies. The money will be put back on their EBT card immediately.
In Colorado, most of the stores that are taking part are market shops and farm stands, which might not be open every day. But these stores are spread out in places like Denver, Colorado Springs, and Fort Collins, which have a lot of people.
Foods that don’t have any added salt, sugar, or fat are eligible. This includes both fresh and frozen fruits and veggies. People who shop at farmers markets can also get extra points for buying dried fruits, veggies, and beans, as long as they meet the same requirements of not having any added sugar, salt, or fat.
One interesting thing about the eHIP is that the extra money doesn’t have to be spent only on fruits and veggies. With the extra perks, people who get SNAP can buy other groceries at any store that takes them, giving them more options when it comes to what they eat.
SNAP recipients can also look forward to a small raise in their maximum benefits later in the year, in addition to this incentive program. As of October 1, all U.S. states and territories except Hawaii will get more money from SNAP because of a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) revealed by the USDA.
The USDA is making this change as part of its ongoing work to make sure that SNAP payments keep up with inflation and the rising cost of living.
This project is part of a larger attempt to improve public health by making it easier for low-income families to get healthy food. The USDA wants to promote healthier eating by giving people incentives to buy fruits and veggies.
This could lower the long-term health care costs that come with poor nutrition. As the program spreads to more states, it could be used as a model for future changes to SNAP that are meant to improve users’ health.