Retailers join White House effort to combat hunger
Several participants in the retail industry are partnering with a new hunger initiative from the Biden-Harris administration.
The Biden-Harris Administration is announcing 141 new commitments from a variety of stakeholders across the U.S. as part of the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities. This initiative, launched in March 2023, aims to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases by 2030.
The $1.7 billion in new commitments include pledges from About Fresh, DoorDash, Gopuff, Instacart, Uber, and Whole Foods Market. Highlights of each company’s commitments follow.
About Fresh
Boston-based non-profit food prescription platform About Fresh is making a $60 million, five-year commitment to generate implementation and utilization data from its Fresh Connect platform (which includes grocery partners such as Albertsons, Kroger and Walmart) to help support food prescription research at Food is Medicine research centers.
The cloud-based platform integrates seamlessly with healthcare IT infrastructure and workflow and streamlines program administration and measurement.
In addition, the About Fresh food truck program is making a $2.2 million, three-year commitment to support local farmers.
DoorDash
DoorDash is pledging to increase the availability of produce in its marketplace by partnering with local, regional and national grocers across the U.S. and increasing the number of healthy products available in DoorDash DashMart, which offers online storefronts stocked with household essentials and restaurant products provided by local retailers for on-demand delivery.
DashMart stores are owned, operated and curated by DoorDash.
Gopuff
Gopuff will invest $1 million to generate awareness of its acceptance federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on its platform among communities in need, and will donate 10 million pounds of food to local food banks and charities across the U.S. by 2027.
Instacart
Instacart is committing to increase access to nutritious food for seniors by bringing Medicare Advantage health benefit acceptance online. The grocery technology company will partner with No Kid Hungry and Mercy Housing to expand access to nutritious food and health information for families living in affordable housing communities located in food deserts, as well as study the health outcomes of the interventions.
Uber
By 2025, Uber has committed to offering access to SNAP/EBT grocery delivery to all eligible retail partners on the platform across the U.S., $0 delivery fees on all EBT SNAP orders for customers using a valid EBT card associated with their Uber Eats account in connection with their purchase for two months, embedding SNAP/EBT eligibility and application information in the Uber Eats app, enabling health providers and community based organizations to order grocery items on behalf of their patients and members using the integrated Uber Health and Uber Eats experience, and working with Albertson’s to explore how Uber can help transport excess food waste from stores to nonprofits and food banks, beginning in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market is pledging to grow its “Nourishing Our Neighborhood” program in communities where the company operates, expanding the capacity and capability 13 for community-based food rescue organizations to move food from where it's available to where it's needed most through the donation of funds for refrigerated vehicles.