HONOLULU (KHON2) — Instacart is giving a break to families in Hawaiʻi who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
The company announced that active SNAP customers will receive 50% off their next grocery order, up to a $50 discount, as part of a national effort to ease pressure on households facing food insecurity.
The offer comes as many worry about potential lapses in federal SNAP funding.
“We’re committed to ensuring every family in every community can put food on the table,” said Dani Dudeck, chief corporate affairs officer at Instacart. “As SNAP funding faces unprecedented disruption and food banks brace for longer lines, we’re focused on practical, immediate solutions: helping families who use SNAP stretch their grocery dollars and helping food banks stock up to support their communities.”
Helping families stretch grocery budgets
Starting this week, active SNAP customers who used their EBT benefits through Instacart in October will get an individual discount code by email.
The discount can be used nationwide at any of Instacart’s nearly 180 retail banners and 30,000 stores that accept SNAP payments.
The program allows up to 100,000 redemptions which represents as much as $5 million in direct grocery savings for families. The offer is valid through Nov. 30 or until all redemptions are used.
Instacart has supported SNAP access since 2020 when they became the first online grocery platform to accept the benefit in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Today, the company can reach 98% of SNAP households with grocery delivery in under two hours.
Supporting Hawaiʻi food banks and others across the nation
Alongside the grocery discount, Instacart is expanding its Community Carts Campaign to help food banks prepare for growing demand during the holidays. The program will now support more than 300 Feeding America food banks and agencies.
Through Community Carts, anyone can donate the exact items a food bank needs — like canned vegetables, pasta or baby food or formula — delivered directly by Instacart shoppers. Service and delivery fees are waived for all donations.
Families in Hawaiʻi can find their local food bank and donate through the Instacart app or on their website.
Instacart has provided more than 14 million meals through its partnership with Feeding America since 2018.