BOSTON, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — The Healthy Incentives Program, HIP, is cutting their monthly incentives by at least 50% for all users, reducing the benefit to $20 per month regardless of household size, starting in December.
HIP is an incentive to buy fresh, local produce for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, users, by putting money back on EBT cards for these purchases.
The cut was announced on October 17th by Department of Transitional Assistance CCommissioner Jeff McCue and explained as a necessary cut to ensure the program remained year-round after the fiscal year 2025 budget was cut back to $15 million, from Governor Healey’s proposed budget of $25 million, which would have fully funded HIP.