In a powerful collaboration to address food insecurity, Instacart has joined forces with the city of Indianapolis and the Partnership for a Healthier America. This alignment aims to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to hundreds of individuals in need within the Indianapolis community.

Over the course of 10 weeks, 640 recipients will receive boxes of fresh produce. But that’s not all. Participants will also receive a complimentary three-month membership to Instacart+ and a $50 monthly stipend called “Fresh Funds,” which can be used to order produce through Instacart.

This program comes at a critical time as federal funding for the SNAP benefits program has returned to pre-pandemic levels. With reduced financial support, millions of people across the nation will have less to spend on groceries. Noreen Springstead, president and CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America, emphasized the urgency of addressing the problem of food accessibility, stating that everyone should have access to good food, regardless of their zip code.

The launch event took place at Gleaners Food Bank in Indianapolis, where Mayor Joe Hogsett highlighted the importance of access to healthy food. He stressed that access to nutritious food is not only about better health outcomes but also impacts education and employment opportunities.

This program is part of Instacart Health, an initiative introduced during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. It aims to deliver healthy food to individuals in need. It also aligns with PHA’s Good Food for All program, which strives to provide access to healthy food for families across the nation. Together, these organizations have committed to serving 10 million servings of produce to food-insecure individuals over the next three years.

Instacart’s Fresh Funds program, explained on their website, allows partner organizations like PHA to provide eligible recipients access to Instacart‘s categories. Recipients can receive recurring funds for their purchases. Instacart is also planning to launch similar programs in 2023, in partnership with major employers and health insurance companies, to offer healthy eating benefits to employees.

Fidji Simo, CEO of Instacart, expressed their belief in the transformative power of technology in improving food access and making healthier choices easier for families nationwide. With Instacart Health, they aim to leverage their technology, scale, and infrastructure to reimagine solutions for nutrition security and drive better health outcomes for communities. This collaboration with PHA and the city of Indianapolis is just the beginning of their efforts to provide affordable access to nutritious food for families in need.

In addition to the Indianapolis initiative, Instacart is offering half-off Instacart+ memberships at $4.99 per month for a year. This grocery delivery service accepts SNAP payments at over 8,000 stores across the country, further enhancing accessibility for individuals relying on SNAP benefits.