Walmart and Amazon launch online grocery shopping for Floridians with an EBT card

Online grocery shopping is a popular way to avoid stores and practice social distancing, but it was often a privilege, unavailable to the struggling residents of Manatee County.

That changed on Tuesday, when Walmart and Amazon welcomed members of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as “food stamps.”

Low-income residents and families receive their benefits on an EBT card. Large retailers accepted the card in their brick-and-mortar stores, but Walmart and Amazon began accepting the payment for online groceries, according to a news release.

The United States Department of Agriculture approved the pilot program, allowing SNAP recipients to buy eligible food and practice social distancing as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the release said.

“This program comes at a critical time as Florida encourages preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” said Lorena Holley, vice president and general counsel for the Florida Retail Federation, in a prepared statement.

The release, issued by the Florida Department of Children and Families, said SNAP recipients were automatically eligible for the program.

EBT cards can be used on the Walmart website to purchase groceries and schedule a curbside pickup, but delivery was unavailable as of Tuesday, according to the retailer’s website.

Residents can visit walmart.com/grocery, select “EBT Card” at checkout and then pay for eligible food at the pick-up location.

Amazon accepts EBT payments and ships groceries through several programs. The company said residents should visit amazon.com/SNAP/register to sign up and determine whether delivery was available in their area.

Delivery and shipping fees are not covered by SNAP benefits, but Amazon offers free shipping on qualified orders.

“You can identify which items on Amazon are eligible for purchase with SNAP by looking for the ‘SNAP EBT eligible’ label near the product name,” the website states.

To apply for food assistance through SNAP, visit myflorida.com/accessflorida.

“If you have trouble understanding English or need help communicating with the Department of Children and Families, Economic Self-Sufficiency Program, please call 1-866-762-2237 or 850-300-4323,” DCF said on its website.

This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 4:19 PM.