NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana families who rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, formerly known as Food Stamps, can now order groceries online at Walmart stores throughout the state.
While Walmart is the first retailer to be approved for the online purchasing program, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services says it expects other retailers to be quickly added.
DCFS said residents can shop and pay for eligible foods online using their EBT cards and can arrange for delivery if available in their area. Delivery services must be paid with a separate payment method because SNAP benefits can not be used for delivery fees and other charges.
“With this program, families who shop for groceries with EBT cards will now have access to many of the same conveniences and features we’ve come to take for granted,” said Marketa Garner, Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services Secretary. “For some of our recipients, shopping remotely could be life-changing. Many have limited transportation. Some have health concerns that make it safer to shop online.”
EBT online grocery purchasing will also extend to Pandemic EBT (P-EBT), the Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP) or cash assistance, Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP) and Disaster-SNAP (DSNAP).
According to DCFS, as of January 2022 there were 419,910 households in the state that receive SNAP benefits. In 2021 Louisiana issued 1.7 million EBT cards for P-EBT and DNSAP recipients due to the pandemic and major hurricanes.
“Online purchasing helps ensure families have ready access to plentiful groceries with fresh produce. This can be an issue especially for families without adequate transportation, “ said Assistant Secretary of Family Support Shavana Howard. “Our research indicates that one in 10 households in Louisiana does not have access to a vehicle, and in many parts of the state residents live up to 10 miles or more from the nearest grocery store."
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