Ensuring consistent access to nutritious food is essential to the well-being of Pennsylvanians. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Food insecurity and the lack of access to affordable nutritious food are associated with increased risk for multiple chronic health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, mental health disorders and other chronic diseases.”

Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) help prevent food insecurity by providing families access to nutritious food, but those benefits often aren’t enough.

That’s why we will be introducing legislation establishing the Pennsylvania Food Bucks Program. Under our legislation, the program would:

• Provide a benefit worth a minimum of forty cents to a SNAP participant for every one dollar of SNAP benefits redeemed at eligible food retailers for targeted healthy food items – like fruits and vegetables.
• Be administered by a selected PA nonprofit organization who would administer benefit incentives to SNAP recipients throughout the Commonwealth.

Not only would this program help stretch critical SNAP dollars and increase consumption of healthy foods, it would also increases demand at grocery stores, farmers markets, corner stores and other SNAP accepting food retailers across our Commonwealth.

Imagine what a difference that kind of surge in demand for healthy foods could do for our farmers, retailers, and our families. That’s why we’re asking you to join us in co-sponsoring this important and timely piece of legislation.