The Atlantic

Americans Can Soon Buy Groceries Online With Food Stamps

A new program will allow low-income families to purchase goods that they might not have access to locally. But is it a miracle or a mirage?
Source: Mario Anzuoni / Reuters

Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will give participants in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—best known by the colloquial term “food stamps”—a way to purchase their groceries online. The two-year trial, which will begin this summer, provides low-income Americans in seven states with a system to have eligible items delivered to their homes through retailers like FreshDirect, Amazon, Safeway, and ShopRite and to pay for them using federal benefits. "Online purchasing is a potential lifeline for SNAP participants.

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