City Council urges federal partners to implement EBT online purchasing program

“Policy makers and public health officials have urged everyone to stay at home to avoid spreading or exposing themselves to the virus. A number of us have been able to safely maintain our access to food with delivery services such as Peapod and Grubhub among others. I am fully aware of my privilege in this situation. My biggest challenge to food access was waiting two and a half weeks for a food delivery after spending a couple of weeks chasing delivery times that would disappear before I could book them. But like many of the residents that I represent, I also experienced food insecurity growing up. My mother was on food stamps -- she still is. I received free breakfast and lunch in school, and at home our food included a mix of boxed and canned easy to prepare food, including lots of cereal and neighborhood takeout like pizza from Joes and subs from Ideal. Trying day after day to order food online before finally securing a delivery was certainly an inconvenience and even a little worrisome given how little food I actually had in my house, but I knew that I would be good, because I have options. I have a choice. Even though I don’t own a car, I have greater access to food, because I can purchase food online; however, for many of those who rely on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps) benefits here in Massachusetts these apps and websites are not an option for them.” This was Council President Janey sharing her past and most recent experience with food access as she introduced a resolution urging federal partners to expand SNAP benefits for online and delivery food services.  



In January 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service Agency, launched phase one of their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Online Purchasing Program with select retailers and states. So far, the only states participating in the program are New York, Nebraska, Oregon, Iowa, Alabama and Washington. Though there have been talks by the Food and Nutrition Service Agency to expand the EBT Online Purchasing Program to more states, the process has been slow.



The resolution, co-sponsored by Councilor Bok, states that because there isn’t an EBT Online Program in Massachusetts, people who rely on this benefit are forced to put themselves and their families at risk, because their only option is going out to grocery stores to get food, where as others can shop online from the safety of their home. This may be a contributing factor to the rising COVID-19 cases we are seeing in underprivileged communities of color in Boston.



The Council adopted the resolution, urging federal partners to work with state agencies to implement the EBT Online Purchasing Program in Massachusetts, so that families who rely on SNAP can use their EBT cards to make online food purchases during the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and afterward.