Online grocery services Instacart and Gopuff are working on separate initiatives to provide access to food and nutrition across the country.
Instacart said that it is partnering with No Kid Hungry and affordable housing organization Mercy Housing to expand access to nutritious food and nutrition education for families living in affordable housing communities located in food deserts. It will also study the health outcomes of such interventions.
Through the project, 200 families across three affordable housing communities in California and Georgia are receiving ongoing nutrition benefits and nutrition education from No Kid Hungry, free Instacart+ memberships, and $40 per month in Instacart Health Fresh Funds grocery stipends for a full year.
“Every family in every community should have access to the nutritious food they need to thrive,” said Sarah Fleisch, senior director of policy research & development at Instacart, in a statement. “With Instacart Health, we’re leveraging our technology and our reach to bridge food access gaps and improve nutrition security for those who need it most. We’re proud to partner with No Kid Hungry and Mercy Housing to help families living in food deserts and affordable housing communities get the food they need while studying the health benefits of these interventions.”
The White House highlighted the program on Tuesday when announcing new commitments from public and private businesses to advance the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.
Gopuff is also taking a lead from the White House by joining the White House Challenge to End Hunger. By doing so, the platform commits to:
• Donate 10 million pounds of food to local food banks and charities across the U.S. by 2027,
• Help direct resources to communities in need by partnering with local governments,
• Accept EBT payment for SNAP-eligible items in 2024.
“Food access, affordability and insecurity are critical issues in our communities,” said Rafael Ilishayev, co-founder and co-CEO of Gopuff, in a statement. “With a physical presence in each market we serve, and expertise in getting people what they need, when they need it, Gopuff has a unique opportunity to combat those issues. Today, we’re honored to solidify our commitments to fighting food insecurity by joining the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities.”