Sign the Petition: Ask PA to Increase Investment in SNAP Incentives

PA State Leglislatives

Now more than ever, families across Pennsylvania want to eat nutritious, wholesome foods. But when a head of lettuce costs more than a bag of potato chips, it’s easy to see why the healthiest choice may not always be the easiest choice—and why, when shoppers have a limited budget, putting healthy food on the table is simply be out of reach.

In fact, 30.9% of Pennsylvania adults are obese and only 11.7% of Pennsylvania adults are eating the recommended serving of fruit per day.1,2 Without access to healthy, affordable food, Americans are at a higher risk for a host of diet-related diseases like obesity, diabetes and heart disease. In 2014 alone, the U.S. spent over $160 billion on food insecurity-related illness. And when families can’t afford to buy fresh produce, they’re not the only ones who suffer: American farmers are losing their livelihood, and rising health care costs affect every taxpayer.

But we can change that.

Healthy food incentive programs for shoppers who rely on SNAP—a simple idea that started at farmers markets and has grown to supermarkets and other retailers—empowers families to make healthier choices by making fresh produce more affordable. Since The Food Trust launched SNAP incentive programming in 2010, shoppers have taken home nearly $1 million in additional fresh produce. The program has seen considerate growth throughout the last decade with $250,000 redeemed in 2019 alone, at over 100 locations. Small businesses have been particularly impacted, seeing increased SNAP sales and doubling or even tripling their produce sales.  

SNAP Incentives are currently active in 15 counties within PA through federal USDA Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP, formerly FINI) grants. Expanding this program addresses a major barrier to healthier eating--cost--while simultaneously boosting revenues for local businesses and growers.

The Governor’s Blueprint for a Hunger Free PA calls for the expansion of SNAP incentives to counties throughout Pennsylvania by 2020 with state funding, however due to fiscal constraints, that goal has not yet been realized. More than 15 states in regions throughout the country have dedicated funding to comparable programs.

Please join us in asking Pennsylvania to expand the Food Bucks program to meet the needs of growers, small businesses, and struggling families. Expanding the program at this crucial time would support PA’s regional food economies and small businesses, while simultaneously increasing access to nutritious food at a time when many budgets are tighter. We urge you to expand the Food Bucks program to meet the needs of growers, small businesses, and struggling families.

Participating Organizations:

African Family Health Organization (AFAHO)
Just Harvest
The Food Trust

To: PA State Leglislatives
From: [Your Name]

​Now more than ever, families across Pennsylvania need help affording nutritious, wholesome foods. We need Pennsylvania to increase investment in SNAP incentives to expand Food Bucks programming across the state.

The Governor’s Blueprint for a Hunger Free PA calls for the expansion of SNAP incentives to counties throughout Pennsylvania by 2020 with state funding, however due to fiscal constraints, that goal has not yet been realized. More than 15 states in regions throughout the country have dedicated funding to comparable programs.

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