The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps can be used to buy seeds and plants, not just foods. Over 46 million Americans use food stamps (almost 15 percent of the U.S.) This information is not always publicized, and most SNAP recipients are not aware of this alternative use for their electronic benefit transfer (EBT). This information also isn’t often known or mentioned in food-justice and urban-framing circles. This option for using SNAP funds was added as an amendment to the Food Stamps Act in 1973 by Sen. James Allen (D-Ala.).
Daniel Bowman Simon, a garden advocate and graduate student, didn’t know of the provision until 2008, when someone mentioned it to him during at a farmers market. He talked to others, and got support for starting a project to help inform people on food stamps about the potential support to grow food.
Simon started the nonprofit called SNAP Gardens to spread the word about this by producing posters in several languages advising SNAP recipients that they can use their benefits for seeds. Since starting the project, requests for the posters from farmers markets in 25 states have come in. The posters are also designed to be displayed in local SNAP offices, community centers, or public housing locations.
An online resource called SNAP-Ed Connection offers training and education materials for SNAP providers who want to give would-be gardeners more guidance and support.
With the help of a $1,000 microgrant from the non-profit organization Awesome Food, SNAP Gardens will start working with The Dinner Garden (a group that sends out free starter packs of seeds by request) to set up a telephone hotline with gardening information.
Part of the grant will also pay to include a flyer about using EBT for seeds with every packet The Dinner Garden sends out, with the assumption that many of those requesting free seeds might also be eligible for SNAP.
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SNAP Gardens
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