The year-plus COVID-19 pandemic has made a lot of changes in the world and one of those changes is that users of the state’s Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) program – once known as the “food stamp” program – now have greatly expanded options as to how they can use those benefits.
Over the past year, the state has added numerous online shopping options so that program participants can stay safe when purchasing food. Before the pandemic, using the service usually meant going to a store to shop and pay. However, the state has added numerous online shopping options and, this week, Publix Super Markets was added to the list where NC Food and Nutrition Services participants can use their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
A Tuesday, April 13 press release from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) stated, “This flexibility will allow participants to buy food while promoting social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and will help families with transportation and mobility barriers.”
The service went live on Tuesday, so users can start shopping online at the popular supermarket chain right away.
Publix is the seventh North Carolina EBT retailer — along with ALDI, Amazon, BJ’s, Carlie C’s, Food Lion and Walmart — to be approved for online purchases. In May of last year, North Carolina was one of the earliest states to offer online shopping for FNS users.
“While program participants will be able to use their benefits to purchase eligible food items from online retailers, they still won’t be able to use their benefits to pay for service or delivery charges,” the press release states. “They’ll have to pay for these charges with another form of payment like a debit or credit card.”
When will North Carolina get a publix food store???????
There is one near Jamestown and Greensboro.
High Point, Jamestown and Winston have them already them.
Lots more in eastern NC and the Charlotte areas.
If they can afford Publix, they don’t need food stamps, they are one high priced store.
That’s the “beauty” of food stamps. You can spend our money anywhere you want.
That comment is so deaf. Reminds me of the thinking that people on SNAPs should only be allowed to by fresh produce and raw meats. But, if they own a refrigerator (a very necessary appliance to keep raw foods and produce safe and healthy) then they aren’t poor enough to need SNAPs. Or, that some people on SNAPs may not have time to prepare meals because they are working/ill or can’t pay gas and electric or haven’t had the privilege of learning how to prepare raw foods for consumption.
The program is to allow them to get food to feed their family. Not to dictate exactly what they are allowed and not allowed to buy. Goal 1 should always be get food in hungry mouths. Everything else should enhance our society’s ability to do that.
“…haven’t had the privilege of learning how to prepare raw foods for consumption.”
This just gets better and better.
Alright Garfield, what’s your concern? You don’t think having a kitchen and someone to teach you is privilege? It’s probably hard to see through your own experiences but not everyone grew up with someone teaching them to cook and you certainly can’t eat a frozen chicken.
Combat with sarcasm. That’s productive.