Healthy Incentives Program Understanding, explaining & promoting HIP Presented by Sophie Schouboe, Agency Resource Coordinator, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
What is HIP? ➢ State-wide Massachusetts only program that gives SNAP recipients Extra SNAP money for local fruits and vegetables! ➢ HIP gives SNAP recipients an instant rebate when they buy local fruits and vegetables at participating: ➢ Farmers markets ➢ Farm stands ➢ Mobile markets ➢ Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs (Farmshares)
History of HIP & Where it is now ➢ 2011-2012: Hampden County Pilot program ($0.30/$1) ➢ 2015: DTA awarded a Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant ➢ 2017: Gradual roll-out of state wide 3-year program with $1/$1 match ➢ So popular that in 1 year, participants earned over $4.2 million in incentives, about 10 times as much as anticipated 2 ➢ Program suspended April 15th, 2018 but came back May 2018-Feb. 2019 ➢ Now a seasonal program: returns May 25 th . ➢ FY20 budget ask: $8.5 million to make HIP a year-round program. Call your legislators!
Why are we talking about HIP? ➢ Increases access to fresh produce & helps stretch SNAP benefits ➢ HIP can be confusing! Understanding the details is crucial for participation ➢ YOU have the ability to get the word out and help people understand ➢ Seasonal Program: suspended in February, but will be back on May 25th
HIP Households by County 3
How HIP Works: Basics ➢ Anyone with SNAP is automatically enrolled in HIP ➢ Earn HIP when you purchase local produce or food-bearing plant starts/seeds (no added sugars, salts, fats or oils). ➢ Monthly caps based on household size. Amount resets on the 1st of every month: ○ $40 (1-2 people) ○ $60 (3-5 people) ○ $80 (6+ people) ➢ Must have SNAP in your account to earn HIP.
How HIP Works: mobiles, farmers markets & farm stands ➢ Use EBT card at qualified vendors to buy produce (look for logo, though it’s not always there) ➢ As long as the customer has money on their EBT card, they can earn their full HIP amount for the month. It may take several transactions, since the HIP rebate per swipe can’t exceed the available EBT funds on the card. ■ For crowd management, some vendors have instituted a limit on the number of transactions they will run before the customer has to go to the back of the line.
Language Around HIP ➢ HIP Means EXTRA MONEY on fruits and vegetables from local farms. ➢ Spend SNAP to Earn HIP ➢ Reward for buying local produce ➢ “Could you use an extra $40/month?”
How HIP Works: Scenario 1 Maria can continue Maria’s ending SNAP Maria visits the getting reimbursed Maria can spend the balance is $315.47 Maria Greene has a farmers market on for produce purchases money she has earned February 7 th and buys family of 4 and gets --- at the farmers market anywhere she would $321.47 in SNAP $10 worth of produce until she reaches her 321.47 – 10 + 10 – 6 = like that accepts SNAP deposited into her and $6 worth of eggs $60 monthly cap, or 315.47 account on February 5th February 28th
How HIP Works: Scenario 2 Bob can spend another $11 on In the end, Bob will Bob is a senior who only Bob visits the farmers Bob’s ending SNAP produce at the same still have $11 on his gets $16 per month in market on the first balance is $11 vendor, a different card and he can spend SNAP benefits on the 1 st weekend of the vendor, or a different --- it anywhere or let it of the month. He spends month and buys $10 market until he $5 on the 1 st when he roll over into the next 11 – 10 + 10 = 11 worth of produce reaches is $40 cap for month gets his benefits the month disbursed.
How HIP Works: CSAs ➢ People sign up for a CSA/Farmshare with the farm. ➢ Receive produce from the farm each week (prices, amount of produce, locations, depend on the farm) ➢ Pay using either Manual SNAP or Auto SNAP. ○ Manual SNAP: bring EBT card each month to pay for CSA share by swiping card. ○ Auto SNAP: sign a form that authorizes the DTA to take out the monthly payment and apply HIP reimbursement immediately when monthly benefits are distributed (no swipe required). Can do partial Auto SNAP.
How HIP Works: CSA Scenario 1 Account Status Balance SNAP OPEN $100 CASH OPEN $20 Sally can spend Sally filled out an Auto Sally has a household of another $12 on SNAP form In the end, Sally will Sally’s ending SNAP 3 and receives $100 per produce at the same authorizing the DTA to still have $100 on her balance is $100. month in SNAP benefits vendor, a different take out $48 from her card and she can -- on the 5th of the month. vendor, or a different account on the 5th of spend it anywhere or 100 - $48 + 48 = 100 She is signed up for a Just market until she each month June-Nov. let it roll over into the Roots CSA that goes from reaches her $60 cap for Just Roots. Each next month June-November and for the month. week in June, Sally costs $48 per month. goes to Just Roots to pick up her veggies. This will continue to happen each month until the CSA ends or Sally cancels her Auto-SNAP.
How HIP Works: CSA Scenario 2 Account Status Balance SNAP OPEN $16 CASH OPEN $0.00 At the first pick up in Jose filled out an Auto In the end, Jose will June after he receives Jose receives $16 per SNAP form still have $8 on his Jose’s ending SNAP benefits, Jose uses his month in SNAP benefits authorizing the DTA to card and he can spend balance is $16. EBT card to do two on the 7th of the month. take out $16 from his it anywhere or let it -- more manual $16 He is signed up for a Just account on the 7th of roll over into the next payments for the CSA. 16 - 16 + 16 = 16 Roots CSA that goes each month June-Nov. month. He will continue to do from June-November for Just Roots. Each 16 - 16 + 16 -16 + 8 = this once per month that costs $48 per week in June, Jose 8 until the CSA ends. month. goes to Just Roots to pick up his veggies.
Program Name Administering Dept. How it can be used at Farmers What you can get Amount Markets SNAP Department of EBT card or tokens @ participating Food, plants that produce food. No Depends on Transitional markets. alcohol, supplements, ready to eat household size. Assistance (DTA) foods or non-food products. Monthly. HIP DTA EBT card @ participating farms, Local fresh produce, food Monthly of $40, $60 farm stands, CSA’s & mobile producing plants, produce with no or $80 markets. added sugars, salts or fats. WIC Farmers’ Women, Infant and Receive a coupon from WIC office Fresh, unprepared, locally grown $25/eligible family Market Nutrition Children State offices (or wherever distro is) to give to fruits and vegetables. member. Once/year Program (WIC (WIC) participating farmers markets or benefit. (usually FMNP) farm stands. given in July and expires end of Oct.) Senior Farmers State Dept. of Receive a coupon from state agency Fresh, unprepared, locally grown $25. Once/year Market Nutritional Agriculture or or senior center to give to fruits and vegetables. Honey. benefit. (usually Program (SFMNP) Agencies on Aging. participating farmers markets, farm given in July and Many distros at stands or CSAs. expires end of Oct.) Senior Centers. Market Match Individual farmers Participating farmers markets will Anything that you can purchase Varies. markets match certain amounts of SNAP, with SNAP. WIC coupons or Senior Coupons. Details vary.
Destigmatizing HIP ➢ Supports local farms & local economy ➢ HIP is a smart choice for the state budget! People who increase consumption of fruits and vegetables see reduced healthcare costs. ➢ Farmers are excited that their produce is reaching more of the community. They’ve been looking for ways to reach everyone for a long time. ➢ HIP is the first program of its kind in the country. Other states want to hear how we’ve made a program like HIP happen!
How can you share HIP information? ➢ Bring it up at staff meetings: train your staff and volunteers! ➢ HIP Ambassadors ➢ USDA programs: When they sign the USDA sign in sheet and indicate if they receive SNAP, ask if they know about HIP. ➢ Print off weekly HIP location list at facebook.com/HIPpioneervalley ➢ Print flyers and make sure they are available ➢ Have a food security corner at your agency ➢ Have a mock market
Where’s HIP in Berkshire County? ➢ Farmers Markets include: Downtown Pittsfield, North Adams, Williamstown, Lenox, Lee, Great Barrington and more! Check the Berkshire Grown Website : https://berkshiregrown.org/find-food-and-farms/ ➢ Website will say if a market accepts HIP, SNAP, WIC, Senior Coupons, Market Match, etc. ➢ Berkshire Grown map (will say which markets are SNAP, HIP, etc.): Mass Grown Map: https://massnrc.org/farmlocator/map.aspx?Program=HIP ➢ HIP Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HIP.PioneerValley/?epa=SEARCH_BOX Complete List Coming!
Where’s HIP in Franklin County? ➢ Franklin County: ○ Farmers Markets: Greenfield, Great Falls, Ashfield, Shelburne, Bernardston, Northfield ○ Farm Stands include: Just Roots, Atherton Farm, Clarkdale Fruit, Atlas & Mycoterra ○ CSAs Include: Just Roots (reduced price shares available), Lyonsville & Hart Farm (delivers) ➢ Mass Grown Map: https://massnrc.org/farmlocator/map.aspx?Program=HIP ➢ HIP Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HIP.PioneerValley/?epa=SEARCH_BOX
Recommend
More recommend
