TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Department of Children and Families is launching a pilot a program that will allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to purchase groceries online at five Tallahassee locations.
DCF says SNAP participants are automatically eligible to participate in this program and do not need to apply.
The pilot program in Florida will begin with an initial launch on April 16 at five Tallahassee locations.
On April 21, both Walmart and Amazon online purchasing will be available statewide.
DCF will continue to coordinate with the USDA and the Florida Retail Federation to expand the network of retailers participating in the pilot program.
“Removing barriers and enhancing access to critical services, while supporting Florida's infrastructure, remains a top priority for this agency, " said DCF Secretary Chad Poppell. “I commend Governor DeSantis for taking yet another proactive action to equip Florida families with resources, while keeping their health and safety at the forefront. This is an innovative, common sense efficiency that will strengthen our families during this time of uncertainty."
DCF says this partnership with federal, state, and local partners will ensure Floridians can access nutritious food while also practicing social distancing and self-quarantining to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
“Customers rely on us to help put food on their tables and our Pickup and Delivery options are playing a more important role than ever in helping them do that,” said Beverly Cole, Senior Director, Payment Acceptance with Walmart. “Making these services available to more and more customers, no matter how they pay is a critical step in the right direction. More than 250 of our stores in Florida have pickup options and we’ll be ready to serve customers using SNAP no matter how they shop with us.”
Walmart already accepts SNAP benefits at all its brick and mortar locations in the United States.
Customers will be able to use their EBT cards and opt for curbside pick-up.
“This program comes at a critical time as Florida encourages preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” said Florida Retail Federation Vice President and General Counsel Lorena Holley. “The Florida Retail Federation appreciates DCF’s commitment to utilizing technology and removing bureaucracy to ensure Florida businesses can provide the services needed to Florida families.”
Officials say utilization of food assistance benefits remains limited to the purchasing of eligible grocery items and cannot be used to pay for delivery services.
For more information about the online purchasing pilot, please visit https://myflfamilies.com/.
