Instacart Pledges support for SNAP Recipients

San Francisco-based Instacart on Friday announced what it describes as “a new grocery offer” to help SNAP recipients and food banks more accessibly obtain food. In addition, Instacart is spearheading a nationwide food drive to support local food banks.

While not explicit, the allusion is clear: the company is announcing this move as the November 1 deadline looms for federal monies that keep programs like SNAP running.

“Starting this week, we’re offering active SNAP customers 50% off their next grocery order—up to a $50 discount. This special offer is designed to immediately help families stretch their grocery dollars, allowing them to keep nutritious staples and daily essentials in their carts and on their tables,” Instacart said in its announcement. “All eligible customers who used EBT SNAP benefits to get groceries delivered via Instacart at any point in October will receive an individual discount code via email in the coming days. This offer can be redeemed nationwide from any one of the nearly 180 retail banners and 30,000 stores that offer SNAP payments via Instacart, up to 100,000 redemptions—representing a commitment of up to $5 million in direct relief for families on SNAP.”

As the company notes, it has accepted SNAP payments since 2020. Back in March, I reported on Instacart making the actual grocery shopping more accessible by way of new features such as Smart Shop powered by—what else?—artificial intelligence.

“We’re committed to ensuring every family in every community can put food on the table,” Dani Dudeck, Instacart’s chief corporate affairs officer, said in a statement. “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.”

As I’ve written numerous times, tech-driven services like Instacart are far more impactful than mere conduits to convenience for many folks. Indeed, things like Instacart (and DoorDash and UberEats) have immense applicability to accessibility. Not only are they driven by what’s ostensibly every person’s primary computer in their smartphone, the truth of the matter is the on-demand, door-to-door nature means a disabled person who, for instance, cannot—or should not—leave their house for medical and/or logistical reasons still has access to groceries readily available. What’s more, those people who are on SNAP get a win-win: their food can be had in just a few taps and delivered to their doorstep all the while taking comfort in the fact their purchase was less expensive. In a nutshell, Instacart is a true lifesaver for a not-insignificant portion of the population—and that doesn’t take into account a historically-long government shutdown prompting action from Instacart and others.

Relatedly, Easterseals CEO Kendra Davenport said earlier this week the lapse in SNAP funding means the disability community will be amongst “the hardest hit,” rubbing salt in their proverbial wounds as people with disabilities “already face higher living costs and barriers to employment. Losing food support will only deepen hardship,” she said.

Davenport continued: “No political disagreement should stand in the way of feeding Americans. We urge Congress and the administration to find every way to keep programs like SNAP remain funded and protected, regardless of any government shutdown. This includes exploring the release of USDA contingency funding and passing the bipartisan efforts in both Houses of Congress to ensure benefits continue.”

Founded in 1919, Easterseals is America’s oldest disability rights organization.