Thousands of beneficiaries will now be able to use their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP benefits) funds as an authorized means of payment in one of the most popular food delivery applications throughout the United States.
The DoorDash app has just announced a partnership with Forage, a payments company, so that EBT cards can be made as a means of payment. Since the option is enabled, more than 1.1 million users added their SNAP benefit EBT cards on DoorDash to purchase food accepted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
DoorDash assures that its intention is to collaborate with the SNAP program’s attempts so that beneficiaries have more options and easier to purchase food. It also wants to streamline the acceptance process for retailers on the platform, to reduce the time it takes them to start accepting SNAP benefits.
“We’re thrilled to partner with DoorDash and expand on-demand grocery delivery for SNAP shoppers,” Ofek Lavian, co-founder and CEO of Forage, said in a statement. “This collaboration is at the heart of our mission, and we’re extremely proud to play a role in removing as many barriers as possible when it comes to increasing access to food for low-income Americans.”
SNAP Benefits and DoorDash to Take Food to Millions Living in “Food Deserts”
In the United States, millions live in so-called “food deserts”, which are areas where it is very difficult to access fresh, nutritious and affordable food.
These places do not have much availability of greengrocers or farmer’s markets, and on the contrary, they have a saturated market of convenience stores, gas stations, fast food restaurants, and more unhealthy and expensive options.
People living in food deserts may have to travel long distances, sometimes without adequate public transport, to reach a supermarket. It is not only the logistical issue that is complicated, but there are also consequences on people’s health. Insufficient intake of fruits and vegetables, as well as other fresh and nutritious foods, brings severe short- and long-term health complications.
Where Are The “Food Deserts” in the USA?
It is difficult to identify the most important “food deserts” in the USA because the situation varies so much from one place to another. However, some of the most problematic are located in the following areas of the country:
Mississippi Delta: This region has one of the highest rates of poverty and obesity in the country. Many residents live long distances from supermarkets and have difficulty accessing fresh food, so it can be considered a critical “food desert”.
Appalachia: This mountain range, one of the most important in the country, is home to communities with high rates of poverty and severe food insecurity. The lack of public transport and the rugged topography make it difficult to access healthy food.
Indian Reservations: Many Indian reservations in the U.S. are particularly vulnerable. They have limited access to fresh and nutritious food. This is due to a number of factors, such as poverty, isolation and lack of infrastructure.
Concrete “Food Deserts” Also Exist
There are also “food deserts” in urban areas, because this does not necessarily happen only in remote rural areas. Areas with these problems can be identified in the South of Chicago, the neighborhoods of East Los Angeles, the Bronx of New York, and other similar cities.
SNAP Benefits is extremely relevant in these places since it provides funds to low-income families so that they can buy fresh and nutritious food. There, food delivery services such as DoorDash also come into play to facilitate the arrival of these fresh and nutritious products.
More than 14 million people live in these deserts, and about 40 million Americans live in communities where 10% of households receive SNAP benefits at some level.
