Seattle Expands 'Fresh Bucks' Program For 2020

SEATTLE, WA — Seattle will triple the size of its Fresh Bucks program next year, providing more than 6,000 low-income Seattle residents with a monthly stipend to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. The program, which is primarily funded by revenue from the city's sweetened beverage tax, helped feed 2,000 people in 2019. Participants are issued $40 vouchers to buy fresh fruit and vegetables at participating stores, including some major chains like Safeway.

Mayor Jenny Durkan's office cited a recent rule from the Trump administration, reducing the amount of people eligible for SNAP assistance each month, as a factor in the city's decision. According to state data, the federal food assistance program helps almost 11 percent of Seattle's population. In a press release, Durkan said expanding the Fresh Bucks program was a step forward, but acknowledged the expansion would not fully offset federal changes.

"Tripling the size of Fresh Bucks is an important step, but ultimately, we need the federal government to abandon their arbitrary and cruel changes to SNAP, and actually help working families put food on the table," Durkan said in a news release.

Under the expanded program, any Seattle resident with income at or below 80 percent of the area median income is eligible for Fresh Bucks, including those who claim SNAP benefits.

The next application window for Fresh Bucks is between March 2 and March 31, 2020. Participants are chosen via a lottery system. You can apply online or over the phone, and vouchers for new participants are valid beginning in June.