19% Boost in Fresh Produce Sales: San Antonio’s Double Up Food Bucks – Check it Out!

Significant Savings for SNAP Recipients

Positive Impact on Food Security and Local Producers

According to San Antonio Report, San Antonio’s Chicho Boys Fruit Market has become the first store in the city to join the Double Up Food Bucks program which is a USDA-funded initiative doubling Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for fruits and vegetables. The Double Up Food Bucks program which requires no enrollment or special requests automatically applies a 50% discount at the register when customers use their SNAP cards. Venessa Garcia has a lot to gain from this. Her latest shopping trip would have normally cost more than $70 yet she only spent slightly more than $22. She puts her $100 monthly savings toward bills and other needs such as gas. Jamie Gonzalez-Stevens the president of the Food Policy Council of San Antonio and the coordinator of community involvement for Chicho Boys has emphasized the importance of the Double Up Food Bucks program.

The store has seen a 19% increase in EBT sales indicating that SNAP recipients are buying more fresh produce since its launch. The Double Up Food Bucks program supports local producers and helps families especially those with limited budgets access healthier food options. San Antonio faces significant challenges with food insecurity with 17.6% of residents living in poverty and 16.2% of households receiving SNAP benefits. Better availability of fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of chronic diseases as Gonzalez-Stevens pointed out. With regard to the Double Up Food Bucks program’s possible growth, Anna Macnak of the Metropolitan Health District’s Healthy Neighborhoods Program which assisted in bringing it to San Antonio expressed confidence. As of right now, Chicho Boys is the only participating business but more are hoped to come maybe through the city’s network of Healthy Corner Stores.

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19% Boost in Fresh Produce Sales: San Antonio’s Double Up Food Bucks – Check it Out! (doubleupamerica.org)

Broader Efforts and Calls for Comprehensive Solutions

Furthermore, Metro Health Director Claude Jacob shared that this Double Up Food Bucks program is part of broader efforts to reduce food insecurity in Bexar County from 14.5% to 10% by 2030. Other initiatives include urban farming projects on city-owned lots and workshops to address food disparities. However, some people like District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez feel these efforts might be too fragmented. He advocates for a comprehensive plan to eradicate food insecurity entirely calling for larger grocery retailers to step up and use available city land for new stores. The Sustainable Food Center and major grocery chain H-E-B have yet to respond to these developments. Meanwhile, the Double Up Food Bucks program is already making a difference for many San Antonio residents by providing more affordable access to nutritious food and supporting the local community.

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