According to the SNAP website, people who have signed up for SNAP Online Purchasing can buy items from the retail giants as long as they fall within the remittance guidelines of the program such as fruits, vegetables, seeds and plants. Many States have also been approved for the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) to provide benefits to families whose children had free or reduced-price meals at school under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.
According to the federal government website, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, signed by President Donald Trump, enables the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to approve state agency plans for temporary emergency benefits. State agencies can submit plans when schools are closed for at least five consecutive days during a public health emergency designation during which the school would otherwise be in session.
The following States are part of the online program that allows people to buy from the retail giants:
Alabama (as well as Wright’s Markets, Inc. )CaliforniaFloridaIowaKentuckyNebraskaNew York (as well as ShopRite)OregonWashington
To find out whether you are eligible for SNAPS, contact your local state agency for more information.
What Can I Buy With SNAP?
Only certain products can be bought with SNAP. These are:
Fruits and vegetablesMeat, poultry, and fishDairy productsBreads and cerealsOther foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beveragesSeeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat
Households cannot use SNAP benefits to buy:
Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobaccoVitamins, medicines, and supplements—if an item has a Supplement Facts label, it is considered a supplement and is not eligible for SNAP purchaseLive animals (except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store)Prepared Foods fit for immediate consumptionHot foodsAny nonfood items such as:Pet foodsCleaning supplies, paper products, and other household supplies. Hygiene items, cosmetics
Am I Entitled to Pandemic EBT?
Residents living in the following states and are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act can claim Pandemic EBT:
AlabamaArizonaCaliforniaIllinoisKansasMarylandMassachusettsMichiganNew MexicoNorth CarolinaRhode IslandVirginia
Each local state agency will send out a Pandemic EBT card to families who are eligible. If you do not receive one, contact your state agency. Some states have requested more flexibility during the coronavirus outbreak, which is detailed on the dedicated website.
