New York City is expanding Get the Good Stuff, which gives SNAP (food stamp) recipients back the amount they spend on vegetables, fruit and beans, to as many as 12 more supermarkets. Neighborhood grocery stores that want to participate can apply through Nov. 20.
New York City announced on Thursday, the 5th, that it is expanding Get the Good Stuff, a program that helps recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) buy fresh food. The city will add up to 12 participating supermarkets to the current 21, a 57% increase, and neighborhood grocery stores that want to join can apply through Nov. 20.
Under the program, SNAP recipients earn a 1-to-1 credit for what they spend on eligible produce, and they can use that credit to buy the same items again. Credits are capped at $10 per day. Eligible items are fresh, frozen, canned and dried fruits, vegetables and beans with no added sugar, salt or fat. The Health Department runs the program with the Fund for Public Health in NYC.
According to the city, eligible food purchases supported by the program since 2019 total $8.9 million, and the impact on the local economy exceeds $12 million. The expansion will be funded by $3.1 million a year included in the fiscal year 2027 budget and a $5.7 million grant from the federal Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program.
Last week, the city also announced that it will raise the daily limit on Health Bucks, which are used at farmers markets, by 40%, from $10 to $14. Under that program, SNAP recipients receive a $2 produce voucher for every $2 they spend, and about $2.3 million is expected to be distributed in 2027 alone. In a Health Department survey, nearly 8 in 10 adults at risk of food insecurity said they have difficulty putting together a balanced meal.
SNAP recipients can find nearby participating stores and places that accept Health Bucks on the Health Department's NYC Health Map.