Program Understanding, explaining & promoting HIP Presented by - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Healthy Incentives Program

Understanding, explaining & promoting HIP

Presented by Sophie Schouboe, Agency Resource Coordinator, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts

What is HIP?

➢ State-wide Massachusetts only program that gives SNAP recipients Extra SNAP money for local fruits and vegetables! ➢ HIP gives SNAP recipients an instant rebate when they buy local fruits and vegetables at participating: ➢ Farmers markets ➢ Farm stands ➢ Mobile markets ➢ Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs (Farmshares)

History of HIP & Where it is now

➢2011-2012: Hampden County Pilot program ($0.30/$1) ➢2015: DTA awarded a Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant ➢2017: Gradual roll-out of state wide 3-year program with $1/$1 match ➢So popular that in 1 year, participants earned over $4.2 million in incentives, about 10 times as much as anticipated2 ➢Program suspended April 15th, 2018 but came back May 2018-Feb. 2019 ➢Now a seasonal program: returns May 25th. ➢FY20 budget ask: $8.5 million to make HIP a year-round program. Call your legislators!

Why are we talking about HIP?

➢ Increases access to fresh produce & helps stretch SNAP benefits ➢ HIP can be confusing! Understanding the details is crucial for participation ➢ YOU have the ability to get the word out and help people understand ➢ Seasonal Program: suspended in February, but will be back on May 25th

HIP Households by County3

How HIP Works: Basics

➢Anyone with SNAP is automatically enrolled in HIP ➢Earn HIP when you purchase local produce or food-bearing plant starts/seeds (no added sugars, salts, fats or oils). ➢Monthly caps based on household size. Amount resets on the 1st of every month:

○ $40 (1-2 people) ○ $60 (3-5 people) ○ $80 (6+ people)

➢Must have SNAP in your account to earn HIP.

How HIP Works: mobiles, farmers markets & farm stands

➢ Use EBT card at qualified vendors to buy produce (look for logo, though it’s not always there) ➢ As long as the customer has money on their EBT card, they can earn their full HIP amount for the

• month. It may take several transactions, since

the HIP rebate per swipe can’t exceed the available EBT funds on the card.

■ For crowd management, some vendors have instituted a limit on the number of transactions they will run before the customer has to go to the back of the line.

Language Around HIP

➢ HIP Means EXTRA MONEY on fruits and vegetables from local farms. ➢ Spend SNAP to Earn HIP ➢ Reward for buying local produce ➢ “Could you use an extra $40/month?”

How HIP Works: Scenario 1

Maria Greene has a family of 4 and gets $321.47 in SNAP deposited into her account on February 5th Maria visits the farmers market on February 7th and buys $10 worth of produce and $6 worth of eggs Maria’s ending SNAP balance is $315.47

• 321.47 – 10 + 10 – 6 =

315.47 Maria can spend the money she has earned anywhere she would like that accepts SNAP Maria can continue getting reimbursed for produce purchases at the farmers market until she reaches her $60 monthly cap, or February 28th

How HIP Works: Scenario 2

Bob is a senior who only gets $16 per month in SNAP benefits on the 1st

• f the month. He spends

$5 on the 1st when he gets his benefits disbursed. Bob visits the farmers market on the first weekend of the month and buys $10 worth of produce Bob’s ending SNAP balance is $11

• 11 – 10 + 10 = 11

Bob can spend another $11 on produce at the same vendor, a different vendor, or a different market until he reaches is $40 cap for the month In the end, Bob will still have $11 on his card and he can spend it anywhere or let it roll over into the next month

How HIP Works: CSAs

➢ People sign up for a CSA/Farmshare with the farm. ➢ Receive produce from the farm each week (prices, amount of produce, locations,

depend on the farm)

➢ Pay using either Manual SNAP or Auto SNAP.

○ Manual SNAP: bring EBT card each month to pay for CSA share by swiping card. ○ Auto SNAP: sign a form that authorizes the DTA to take out the monthly payment and apply HIP reimbursement immediately when monthly benefits are distributed (no swipe required). Can do partial Auto SNAP.

How HIP Works: CSA Scenario 1

Sally has a household of 3 and receives $100 per month in SNAP benefits

• n the 5th of the month.

She is signed up for a Just Roots CSA that goes from June-November and costs $48 per month. Sally filled out an Auto SNAP form authorizing the DTA to take out $48 from her account on the 5th of each month June-Nov. for Just Roots. Each week in June, Sally goes to Just Roots to pick up her veggies. This will continue to happen each month until the CSA ends or Sally cancels her Auto-SNAP. Sally’s ending SNAP balance is $100.

• 100 - $48 + 48 = 100

Sally can spend another $12 on produce at the same vendor, a different vendor, or a different market until she reaches her $60 cap for the month. In the end, Sally will still have $100 on her card and she can spend it anywhere or let it roll over into the next month

Account Status Balance SNAP OPEN $100 CASH OPEN $20

How HIP Works: CSA Scenario 2

Jose receives $16 per month in SNAP benefits

• n the 7th of the month.

He is signed up for a Just Roots CSA that goes from June-November that costs $48 per month. Jose filled out an Auto SNAP form authorizing the DTA to take out $16 from his account on the 7th of each month June-Nov. for Just Roots. Each week in June, Jose goes to Just Roots to pick up his veggies. Jose’s ending SNAP balance is $16.

• 16 - 16 + 16 = 16

At the first pick up in June after he receives benefits, Jose uses his EBT card to do two more manual $16 payments for the CSA. He will continue to do this once per month until the CSA ends. In the end, Jose will still have $8 on his card and he can spend it anywhere or let it roll over into the next month. 16 - 16 + 16 -16 + 8 = 8

Account Status Balance SNAP OPEN $16 CASH OPEN $0.00

Program Name Administering Dept. How it can be used at Farmers Markets What you can get Amount SNAP Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) EBT card or tokens @ participating markets. Food, plants that produce food. No alcohol, supplements, ready to eat foods or non-food products. Depends on household size. Monthly. HIP DTA EBT card @ participating farms, farm stands, CSA’s & mobile markets. Local fresh produce, food producing plants, produce with no added sugars, salts or fats. Monthly of $40, $60

• r $80

WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (WIC FMNP) Women, Infant and Children State offices (WIC) Receive a coupon from WIC office (or wherever distro is) to give to participating farmers markets or farm stands. Fresh, unprepared, locally grown fruits and vegetables. $25/eligible family

• member. Once/year
• benefit. (usually

given in July and expires end of Oct.) Senior Farmers Market Nutritional Program (SFMNP) State Dept. of Agriculture or Agencies on Aging. Many distros at Senior Centers. Receive a coupon from state agency

• r senior center to give to

participating farmers markets, farm stands or CSAs. Fresh, unprepared, locally grown fruits and vegetables. Honey. $25. Once/year

• benefit. (usually

given in July and expires end of Oct.) Market Match Individual farmers markets Participating farmers markets will match certain amounts of SNAP, WIC coupons or Senior Coupons. Details vary. Anything that you can purchase with SNAP. Varies.

Destigmatizing HIP

➢ Supports local farms & local economy ➢ HIP is a smart choice for the state budget! People who increase consumption

• f fruits and vegetables see reduced healthcare costs.

➢ Farmers are excited that their produce is reaching more of the community. They’ve been looking for ways to reach everyone for a long time. ➢ HIP is the first program of its kind in the country. Other states want to hear how we’ve made a program like HIP happen!

How can you share HIP information?

➢ Bring it up at staff meetings: train your staff and volunteers! ➢ HIP Ambassadors ➢ USDA programs: When they sign the USDA sign in sheet and indicate if they receive SNAP, ask if

they know about HIP.

➢ Print off weekly HIP location list at facebook.com/HIPpioneervalley ➢ Print flyers and make sure they are available ➢ Have a food security corner at your agency ➢ Have a mock market

Where’s HIP in Berkshire County?

➢ Farmers Markets include: Downtown Pittsfield, North Adams, Williamstown,

Lenox, Lee, Great Barrington and more! Check the Berkshire Grown Website:

https://berkshiregrown.org/find-food-and-farms/

➢ Website will say if a market accepts HIP, SNAP, WIC, Senior Coupons, Market Match, etc. ➢ Berkshire Grown map (will say which markets are SNAP, HIP, etc.): Mass Grown

Map: https://massnrc.org/farmlocator/map.aspx?Program=HIP

➢ HIP Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HIP.PioneerValley/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

Complete List Coming!

Where’s HIP in Franklin County?

➢ Franklin County:

○ Farmers Markets: Greenfield, Great Falls, Ashfield, Shelburne, Bernardston, Northfield ○ Farm Stands include: Just Roots, Atherton Farm, Clarkdale Fruit, Atlas & Mycoterra ○ CSAs Include: Just Roots (reduced price shares available), Lyonsville & Hart Farm (delivers)

➢ Mass Grown Map: https://massnrc.org/farmlocator/map.aspx?Program=HIP ➢ HIP Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HIP.PioneerValley/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

Where’s HIP in Hampden County?

➢ Gardening the Community, CSA & Farm Standd, 200 Walnut St, Springfield ➢ Wed & Th 11:30-7:30 ➢ GoFresh Mobile Markets ➢ Forest Park Farmers market: Rainbow Harvest Farm, Red Fire Farm, River Bend Farm ➢ Mass Grown Map: https://massnrc.org/farmlocator/map.aspx?Program=HIP ➢ ***HIP Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HIP.PioneerValley/?epa=SEARCH_BOX***

Complete List Coming Soon!

Where’s HIP in Hampshire County?

➢ Farmers Markets Include: Northampton Tuesday, Northampton Saturday,

Amherst,

➢ CSAs: Simple Gifts Farm and Crimson & Clover Farm ➢ Farm Stands include: The above CSA farms, Old Friends Farm, Fungi Ally & more! ➢ Mass Grown Map: https://massnrc.org/farmlocator/map.aspx?Program=HIP ➢ HIP Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HIP.PioneerValley/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

Complete List Coming Soon!

Other HIP Resources

• Project Bread Hotline. Mon-Fri 8am-7pm, Sat 10am-2pm

1-800-645-8333 TTY 1-800-377-1292

• HIP Fact Sheets: https://www.mass.gov/lists/healthy-incentives-program-fact-

sheets#2019-healthy-incentives-program-(hip)-fact-sheets-

• DTA Flyers: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/healthy-incentives-program-

hip-for-clients

• CISA website: https://www.buylocalfood.org/buy-local/use-snapebt-for-local-

food/healthy-incentives-program/

• For HIP brochure: email sophies@foodbankwma.org

Questions?

Any ideas of how to spread the word? What support do you need?

References

○ 1 - USDA, Food and Nutrition Services Department, Evaluation of the Healthy Incentives Pilot-Final Report, 2014, https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/ops/HIP-Final-Summary.pdf

○

2 - Massachusetts Food Systems Collaborative, HIP Advocacy Works! State Adds Funding for Program, https://mafoodsystem.org/news/618hip/

○

3 – Department of Transitional Assistance, HIP Monthly Fact Sheet, March 2019, https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2019/03/14/HIP%20Monthly%20Fact%20Sheet%202019. 03%20final.pdf