The nonprofit’s acclaimed Healthy Corners program expands purchasing power for additional fruits and vegetables at participating corner stores
Washington, DC – March 10, 2025 – For more than a decade, DC Central Kitchen has worked with small corner stores to stock and sell fruits and vegetables in neighborhoods where grocery stores are hard to find through its Healthy Corners program. The program has become especially crucial for low-income residents who rely on federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase food each month. Starting this month, DC Central Kitchen is taking another step toward making healthy food even more affordable and accessible in underserved areas with a new version of its ‘SNAP Match’ incentive that provides $5 in additional fruits and vegetables with the purchase of a single piece of produce at participating stores.
“This programmatic change comes at a crucial time, as inflationary pressures continue and safety net programs brace for potential cuts,” says DC Central Kitchen CEO Mike Curtin. “Last year alone, 22,000 DC SNAP customers purchased Healthy Corners products. We’re doing everything we can to continue to reduce barriers to accessing healthy food and keep these essential fruits and vegetables on store shelves and in people’s homes.”
Now, at 34 participating corner stores across the city, customers who purchase any fruit or vegetable item, including ones priced at $1 or less, with their SNAP benefits will receive a $5 ‘SNAP Match’ coupon for additional fruits and vegetables. Previously, customers were obligated to spend at least $5, including qualifying produce, in order to receive the SNAP Match coupon at their neighborhood corner stores.
“Since its introduction in 2018, this innovative approach of incentivizing produce has proven to help low-income shoppers expand their purchasing power while driving sales at DC-based small businesses who want to make healthy food more central to their business models,” says Curtin. “By eliminating the $5 minimum and focusing on a single produce item to earn the incentive, we hope to reach thousands more customers and respond to the city’s rising rates of food insecurity and economic hardship.”
Habtom Haile, the owner of Stanton Supermarket and Liff’s Market, two participating Healthy Corners stores in Ward 8, is a believer in the program. His customers, he says, “are struggling with inflation, but if you offer them the program and they know they can get free food, they’re happy to use it.”
Healthy Corners has partnered with DC Health since the program launched in 2013, and its SNAP Match produce incentives have been supported by the US Department of Agriculture’s Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program since 2018.
“Expanding access to fresh, healthy food is essential to improving health outcomes in our communities,” said Dr. Ayanna Bennett, Director at DC Health. “By making it easier for SNAP customers to afford nutritious produce, this initiative takes a critical step toward reducing food insecurity and supporting the well-being of District residents. We are proud to continue our partnership with DC Central Kitchen to ensure all families have the opportunity to make healthier choices.”
For more information on DC Central Kitchen’s Healthy Corners program, visit Healthy Corners – DC Central Kitchen, and download the HC App which provides current produce on the shelves at the nearest Healthy Corners store along with healthy recipes, resources, and more.
ABOUT DC CENTRAL KITCHEN:
DC Central Kitchen (DCCK) is an iconic nonprofit and social enterprise that combats hunger and poverty through job training and job creation. Our approach provides hands-on culinary job training while creating living-wage jobs and bringing nutritious, dignified food where it is most needed in our city. We serve scratch-cooked farm-to-school meals in DC schools; deliver fresh, affordable produce to corner stores in neighborhoods without supermarkets; provide delicious catering; and operate three fast-casual cafes that also provide on-the-job training. To learn more, visit dccentralkitchen.org or follow @dccentralkitchen on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.