Should food stamp recipients be able to buy groceries online? Feds launch program

AL.com reports:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon launch a pilot program to allow food stamp users to order their groceries online.

The one-year trial will be launched this fall and will initially be made available to homebound elderly and disabled recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps. Up to 20 governmental or private non-profit food delivery services will be tapped for the first phase.

"Expanding access to home delivery will help ensure that homebound elderly and disabled SNAP participants have access to healthy foods," Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon said earlier this year.

While the first phase will serve the elderly or disabled – groups that account for nearly one in five SNAP recipients – other programs will expand online ordering options for all food stamp users. While critics point to fraud concerns over the expansion, the USDA said online ordering could be a major benefit for the estimated 2.3 million households that do not have access to a vehicle and live more than one mile from a supermarket.

More than 45 million low-income Americans use monthly food assistance benefits, with half of those recipients being children.

The great moments of the welfare state!