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Florida Wants Food Stamp Recipients To Be Able To Buy Groceries Online

A cat lies on a tile floor among many bags of groceries
Photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash

Florida is applying for a federal waiver that will let people who receive SNAP benefits, commonly known as food stamps, order their groceries online.

Gov. Ron DeSantis says it makes sense to let people shop for groceries from home rather requiring them to go out in public. Earlier this month DeSantis issued a state-wide stay home order. He has been encouraging anyone who can, to stay inside.

“After executing Executive Order 20-91 to limit outside activities to essential services, this commonsense policy approach is a no brainer,” DeSantis said in a statement.

The governor calls the waiver “another step that will help flatten the curve.

The waiver would let Florida join a pilot run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program lets SNAP recipients use an EBT card to purchase groceries online. Current federal regulations prohibit the use of SNAP cards for making online food purchases.

Follow @Regan_McCarthy

Regan McCarthy covers healthcare and government in Tallahassee, Florida. She is the Assistant News Director for WFSU Public Media.

Phone: (850) 645-6090 | rmccarthy@fsu.edu

Find complete bio, contact info, and more stories here.