A Los Angeles nonprofit announced a partnership Friday with grocery delivery service Shipt that will allow CalFresh recipients to purchase boxes of locally grown produce online using their food benefits and receive free home delivery.
Food Access LA said the expansion of its eat! Farmers’ Market Box Delivery Program combines online Electronic Benefit Transfer purchasing, California’s Market Match nutrition incentive program and free delivery for participating customers paying with EBT.
The nonprofit described the combination as the first farmers’ market box delivery offering of its kind in California.
Under the partnership, Shipt will cover delivery fees for participating CalFresh customers, while Food Access LA will continue coordinating produce boxes containing seasonal fruits and vegetables from Southern California farms.
The boxes start at $50 and can be ordered online, with CalFresh benefits accepted through the program’s purchasing portal.
The program also accepts Market Match, which helps CalFresh recipients stretch their food benefits by providing matching funds for purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers’ markets and farm-direct outlets.
“Fresh, local produce should be within reach for every household, not only for people who have the time, transportation, or extra cash to navigate markets in person,” said Jennifer Grissom, executive director of Food Access LA. “This partnership with Shipt helps us make a common sense food-access program more affordable and more equitable, while continuing to support the local farmers who feed our region.”
The program is structured as a farmers’ market produce subscription service, providing recurring deliveries of seasonal produce while helping participating farmers reach additional customers and generate more consistent income, according to the nonprofit.
Brittney Smith, Shipt’s director of community, said the company is covering delivery costs to help eliminate barriers that can prevent households from obtaining fresh food.
“Food Access LA has built the relationships and the systems that bring produce from farmers across the county into one box, and we’re proud to help with that last step. Connecting people to fresh, nutritious food is core to what we do, so covering delivery fees for customers with EBT is just one way that we can help ensure that neighbors have access to the things they need,” Smith said.
Isabel Thottam, director of the eat! Farmers’ Market Delivery Box Program, said delivery charges can be particularly burdensome for seniors, people with disabilities, students and working families.
“With Shipt’s support covering delivery costs for customers paying with EBT, we can make the box more affordable while keeping the experience simple: order online, use your benefits to purchase the produce, and receive it at your doorstep to prepare and enjoy,” Thottam said.
Food Access LA said it hopes to expand the program through additional partnerships with businesses, community organizations and other institutions.
The nonprofit works to increase access to fresh food while supporting small- and mid-sized California farms and local businesses.
Additional information and online ordering are available at foodaccessla.org/eat-ordering.