What is HIP, and Who Does it Help?
Have you heard about HIP, but have questions about who it helps and how it works? Or have you seen signs at a Farmers’ Market that say, “It’s HIP to be Healthy” and wondered to yourself, what is HIP? Lucky for you, I’m here to answer your HIP-related questions!
What is HIP?
HIP stands for the Healthy Incentives Program. This program is administered by Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), and is funded by the state budget. The funds to support the program need to be approved by the legislature and governor every year. The program allows people who qualify for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to use their benefit card at participating farm stands and farmers markets and for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscriptions with participating farms. HIP provides up to a certain amount of money to be returned into the participants SNAP account, meaning that people are able to get fresh, local food for free.
Confused? Try this for an example: Jill receives SNAP benefits, and has $50 on her SNAP card. She goes to a farm participating in HIP. She buys $20 worth of fresh vegetables and pays using her SNAP card. Immediately, through the HIP program, that $20 is refunded back onto her card. Jill gets fresh, local vegetables, the farmer gets the $20, and Jill still has $50 in SNAP benefits to buy other essential groceries.
How do I find out if I’m eligible for HIP?
HIP has the same eligibility guidelines as SNAP. Anyone who is eligible to receive SNAP benefits also receives HIP benefits. How much of a benefit is based on the size of the household.
I receive Summer EBT for my kids. Am I eligible for HIP?
Summer EBT is a new federal program that helps low-income families provide meals for school-age children during the summer, when they do not have access to in-school meals. If you qualify for Summer EBT and receive SNAP, the Summer EBT benefit is loaded onto your existing SNAP card. If you do not already have SNAP, you will receive a separate card. Summer EBT is a separate program from SNAP, and has different eligibility requirements. Qualifying for Summer EBT does not qualify you for HIP. You must qualify for SNAP benefits to receive HIP.
How do I sign up for HIP?
If you received SNAP benefits, then good news! You already have HIP benefits! HIP enrollment is automatic for all SNAP participants, regardless of the amount of benefit.
How much can I buy?
HIP benefits are tiered according to household size. A single person or couple can purchase up to $40 per month. Households for three to five can receive $60, and households of six or more up to $80 per month in benefits. These amounts can only be used at participating farm stands, with participating vendors at farmers markets, or certain CSA shares. They are separate from the regular SNAP benefits and cannot be used at grocery stores or convenience stores.
Additionally, you must have money on your SNAP card to use your HIP benefits, as it is a reimbursement program. So, for example, if Jill only has $5 on her SNAP card, she cannot buy $10 worth of vegetables at a farmers market, even if she has a full $40 of HIP benefits to utilize. She can only spend up to $5 per transaction, because that is what is available on her card. But that $5 is then reimbursed back onto her card through the Healthy Incentives Program. So she can use that same $5 eight times before her $40 HIP benefit is used up.
Who does this program benefit?
In short, everyone! SNAP is one of the most effective programs addressing food insecurity, focused on helping people who otherwise may not have enough money to buy food and allowing them the dignity of buying food at a regular grocery store. However, many of the lowest cost options available in supermarkets and grocery stores are lacking in the nutritional benefit of fresh foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. HIP provides a means for people to add more healthy, whole, fresh foods to their diets while not forcing them to choose between fresh food and cheaper, more processed foods.
HIP also benefits local farmers. Because HIP benefits can only be used to buy food through a participating local farm, farmers have access to more customers and more income for their product. This helps sustain local farms and local agriculture.
And even if you are not a farmer and do not receive SNAP benefits, HIP benefits you as well, by increasing the health of everyone in your community. The reality of experiencing poverty and food insecurity involves long-term negative health impacts, including obesity, toxic stress, nutritional deficits, and higher rates of chronic illness and disability. These negative health impacts affect everyone in the community and stress our health care system. HIP helps to fight these impacts by increasing access to healthy foods, which can increase overall health, plus contribute to growing the local economy and providing more job opportunities.
So HIP is a benefit to everyone!
Where can I find participating HIP vendors?
Glad you asked! If you are at a farmers market, certain vendors may take HIP. Look for HIP signs or signs that say they accept SNAP. Or just ask the vendor! You can also search for markets, farm stands, and CSAs that accept HIP on the DTAFinder website:
https://dtafinder.dtadash.ehs.mass.gov/
HIP sounds great! How can I support it?
Great question! First, contact your local representative or state senator, and let them know that you support HIP and want them to support future funding for the program! Your voice matters!
Second, shop at farmers markets. Let the farmers know that you support HIP, then buy something from them! Successful farmers markets means successful farmers. And that can lead to more farmers markets in more communities, which will increase access to HIP vendors. And if your community doesn’t have a farmers market nearby, don’t be afraid to contact your community leaders and ask why not!
Now go pick up some farm-fresh food! Local food is the best food, and with HIP, it has even more to offer!