RICHMOND, Va. -- For the first time, more than 740,000 Virginians who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be able to pay for their groceries online and have them delivered.
Gov. Northam announced on Friday that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved Virginia to participate in an innovative online purchasing pilot program.
“This continued public health emergency has made access to healthy, affordable food challenging, particularly for Virginians who live in food deserts, have disabilities, or face transportation barriers,” said Governor Northam. “Allowing Virginia families who receive SNAP benefits to purchase groceries online and have them safely delivered to their homes will give vulnerable populations additional flexibility to put food on the table without putting themselves at unnecessary risk.”
The program will launch statewide in Virginia on Friday, May 29 with online shopping access available through the Amazon and Walmart online platforms.
Retailers interested in participating the program can find more information and apply by contacting USDA. Transactions will take place using SNAP customers’ secure Personal Identification Numbers (PINs).
SNAP benefits cannot be used to pay for fees of any type, such as delivery, service, or convenience fees.
