only 8.4% The recommended daily intake of fruit for adults in Pennsylvania has been reached. For the 1 in 9 food-insecure Pennsylvanians, healthy foods are too expensive. Unhealthy diets and food insecurity cost state and federal governments hundreds of billions of dollars a year in health care and other costs. Nutrition incentives help close this gap by giving SNAP participants more to use in their benefits when they buy fruits and vegetables at participating retailers.
Pennsylvania can help more families get nutrition benefits
More than 20 states have committed funding to nutrition incentives, and a continuing investment of $2 million per year will double the number of households eligible for the SNAP incentive program, support 25 more retailers, and unlock even more federal investment.
I take action: Tell that to your state senators and representatives. Let’s expand access to healthy foods in Pennsylvania!”
Nutrition incentives: 3 benefits
SNAP incentives increase consumption of nutritious produce while unlocking demand for fruits and vegetables, stimulating local economies. When tied to local agriculture, the benefits extend to Pennsylvania farmers too: when shoppers buy more food for their families, farmers earn more, serve more customers, and produce more food.
Food BucksFood Bucks, a program of The Food Trust, is one of the largest nutrition incentive programs in Pennsylvania. To participate, shoppers who use SNAP benefits swipe their EBT card and receive a fresh fruit and vegetable token, paper coupon, digital coupon, or discount when purchasing eligible items. Food Bucks is currently offered at more than 100 locations in 17 counties, supporting more than 30 grocery stores and 48 farmers markets, including all Fresh Access markets and several Fresh Corners stores. In recent years, Food Bucks has helped Pennsylvanians purchase $300,000 more fruits and vegetables annually. The program reaches approximately 55,000 Pennsylvania households each year. Click here to see a map of locations.
Food Bucks are supported in part by the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), a federal grant program that supports projects that increase SNAP participants’ purchases of fruits and vegetables. GusNIP grant recipients are required to provide a 1:1 match for every dollar of federal funding. Many states allocate funds for this matching.
Now is the time for Pennsylvania to invest in its farmers, retailers and communities.
The ongoing investment of $2 million annually will support efforts to:
- Increase annual Food Bucks reimbursement to $1 million in fruits and vegetables.
- Double the number of households eligible for the SNAP incentive program to more than 100,000.
- It will support 25 additional retailers, including a range of local supermarkets, farmers markets and independent shops.
- Leverage state funds to apply for another USDA GusNIP grant, providing a 1:1 match with federal funds.
I take action: Tell your state senators and representatives: Let’s expand access to healthy foods in Pennsylvania!”
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