Woodkirk Stone
Residents using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can order through Daily Table, a local grocery chain
Mayor Michelle Wu announced today that SNAP attendees can now use their EBT cards to place grocery orders online and receive grocery delivery from the Daily Table, a nonprofit grocery store with locations in Roxbury, Dorchester and Cambridge. The Mayor’s Office for Food Access (OFA) provided Daily Table with $93,000 using US bailout funds to support the SNAP online initiative. The mayor made the announcement while visiting the Daily Table Roxbury store, interacting with customers and helping to fill online orders.
In a program that began last week, SNAP participants can now use their EBT cards to order groceries online for in-store pickup or delivery through the Daily Table website or app. This service is ideal for those with reduced mobility or families who prefer not to shop in person during the ongoing pandemic. The delivery program is aligned with Mayor Wu’s Food Justice Agenda to increase Boston residents’ access to fresh, nutritious, affordable and culturally relevant food.
“Expanding access to food means meeting residents where they are and making it easier for busy families to get nutritious and affordable meals,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and winter storms, not everyone has the opportunity to walk into a store. I am grateful to Daily Table for their partnership in ensuring that Boston residents, especially our seniors and those with health issues, can use their SNAP benefits from the comfort of their homes to access culturally appropriate food.
“Our mission is to bring fresh, tasty and nutritious food to the communities that need it most,” said Doug Rauch, Founder and President of Daily Table. “Over the past two years, the communities we serve have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID pandemic with higher unemployment rates and soaring food insecurity. SNAP redemption levels in our stores have nearly doubled since the pandemic began. Allowing our customers using SNAP benefits to order free grocery delivery at the same low prices as in our stores democratizes access and allows customers to get the healthy, affordable foods they need and deserve.
Daily Table is one of the first grocery stores in Massachusetts to offer SNAP benefits online, and the program’s only nonprofit local grocer. All Daily Table customers, including those who purchase groceries with SNAP benefits, who live within two miles of any Daily Table location are eligible for free shipping. Anyone can shop at Daily Table, but the small business is focused on tackling food insecurity.
SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is the largest federal nutrition assistance program. SNAP provides benefits to eligible low-income individuals and families through an electronic benefit transfer card. Massachusetts first launched the SNAP online shopping program in 2020. A complete list of Massachusetts businesses affiliated with the SNAP online shopping program is available on the Commonwealth website.
“The Office of Food Access is excited to work with Daily Table to ensure that all Boston residents have access to healthy, nutritious food,” said Hae-In Kim, Deputy Director of the Mayor’s Office for Food Access. “This initiative as a whole will help achieve the goals of the Community Grants Program – making healthy foods more affordable and accessible to communities most affected by food insecurity.”
Daily Table is one of 34 organizations that have received US bailout funding through the OFA under the Community Grants Program. The nonprofit grocery chain received $93,000 for this online SNAP delivery program. Funding covers the following:
- Part of staff time to implement and manage SNAP Online
- Bearing the costs of providing free ordering and delivery services to SNAP’s online customers
- Support for creation and translation of SNAP online marketing materials, advertising, as well as photography/video costs
- Connect with community organizations that work with SNAP recipients
This program builds on the city’s efforts to expand food options for families using SNAP benefits. Boston’s Double Up Food Bucks program is offering SNAP recipients 50% off all fresh fruits and vegetables with their EBT card. Double Up Food Bucks inspires SNAP customers to buy locally sourced, nutritious items while supporting Boston’s small businesses. A list of participating grocery stores and other food justice initiatives can be found on the OFA website. SNAP Online does not partner with the Double Up Food Bucks program.
ABOUT THE FOOD ACCESS CITY HALL
The Mayor’s Office for Food Access (OFA) works to give all Boston residents access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally connected food. With Boston’s diverse population at heart, OFA’s goal is to create a more food-safe city with a vibrant and inclusive food culture.