(NEW YORK) — Amazon.com is now one of seven online food retailers that will soon accept food stamps, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The retail firms will be involved in a two-year pilot program allowing participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to purchase their groceries online.
“Online purchasing is a potential lifeline for SNAP participants living in urban neighborhoods and rural communities where access to healthy food choices can be limited,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to being able to bring the benefits of the online market to low-income Americans participating in SNAP.”
The program so far only includes Amazon customers in Maryland, New Jersey, and New York, but USDA said it anctipates additional retailers to be included in the future when the pilot phase is successfully completed.
The selected firms for the pilot program include:
- Amazon – Maryland, New Jersey, New York
- FreshDirect – New York
- Safeway – Maryland, Oregon, Washington,
- ShopRite – Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
- Hy-Vee, Inc. – Iowa
- Hart’s Local Grocers – New York (based in Rochester)
- Dash’s Market – New York (based in Buffalo)
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