Instacart launches campaign to support SNAP recipients, food banks

Instacart announced a special campaign to help support families and food banks, as well as an extension of its discounted membership for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Thursday, Instacart announced a special campaign to help support families and food banks, as well as an extension of its discounted membership for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients.

Instacart said the extension was to help families continue to put nutritious food on the table as emergency COVID-19 SNAP benefits expire in states across the United States. Texas is one of more than 30 states where the program’s benefits will expire March 1.

Instacart said its new Community Carts campaign would also allow anyone to donate groceries to food banks in affected states, with no delivery or service fees.

Texas food banks with Community Carts on Instacart include:

• Central Texas Food Bank
• Coastal Bend Food Bank
• El Pasoans Fighting Hunger
• Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley
• High Plains Food Bank
• Houston Food Bank
• West Texas Food Bank
• San Antonio Food Bank 
• South Plains Food Bank

“The expiration means grocery budgets will tighten by at least $95 per month for more than 30 million people and, as a result, many local food banks that are already facing supply shortages amid rising food prices are now bracing for a surge in demand for assistance,” Instacart said.

According to Instacart, the Community Carts campaign and SNAP discount program are part of the company’s broader commitment to increasing nutrition security in communities most in need.