Georgians challenged financially and hesitant to shop inside grocery stores as COVID-19 cases continue to accumulate now have a relief thanks to a change in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program or SNAP.
Georgians and SNAP recipients in 41 other states can now pay for groceries with their Electronic Benefits Transfer cards online. The recent development has been made possible through an expedited expansion of an online purchasing pilot program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Households receiving SNAP benefits in 42 states can use EBT to pay for grocery pickup and/or delivery from select retailers (though not for associated service fees).
Which retailers are offering the program?
Various retailers are offering the online grocery program throughout the country. However, Amazon and Walmart are offering the SNAP online option in most of the participating states, including Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee and South Carolina. See the full list of retailers here.
How to know if a retailer delivers to your home?
The best way to determine if grocery delivery is available for your location is to visit the grocers’ websites. The delivery ZIP codes available are those where retailers are able to provide their full line of groceries, which includes the ability to deliver perishable items to that area.
Can SNAP be used to pay for delivery?
Only eligible food may be purchased with SNAP benefits; delivery fees and other associated charges may not be paid for with SNAP benefits.
List of states and districts currently offering the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot:
Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
For more on the SNAP online Purchasing Pilot program, visit fns.usda.gov.
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