PIERRE, S.D. (DRG News) — South Dakotans who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will be able to pay for food online, though it isn’t clear when the program will start.
The United States Department of Agriculture has approved South Dakota’s request to be part of a pilot program for online food purchases.
State Department of Social Services Secretary Laurie Gill says SNAP benefitsgive a much-needed boost to those who may be struggling with food costs.
“SNAP is a vital safety net for South Dakota families, and online SNAP will give families another option to purchase nutritious and fresh foods,” Gill said. She added her department is working with retailers and the federal government to start the program “as quickly as possible.”
Gill says currently there are two nationwide retailers approved to take the electronic benefit transaction (EBT) cards SNAP clients use, but local grocery stores will also eventually be able to participate in the online SNAP option.
South Dakota’s SNAP participation is more than 35,000 households, 75,000 individuals and totals $122 million annually in federal benefits.
(Jody Heemstra, Dakota Radio Group, contributed this report.)
