(The Center Square) – A new report reveals that Seattle’s Fresh Bucks food voucher program provides a higher rate of food security and a higher intake of fruits and vegetables for low-income households.
The city provides more than $5 million annually to the Fresh Bucks program, with funding coming from the Sweetened Beverage Tax, according to the city’s 2025-26 budget.
The Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment administers the food voucher program for low-income residents. It administers the food voucher program to low-income residents who make less than 80% of the area median income, which was $110,950 for a family of four in 2024.
Households that are accepted into the program receive a $40 stipend each month to buy produce at any participating retailer. However, the program consistently sees high demand exceeding available enrollment spots, meaning there is an active waitlist of residents.
The University of Washington’s new study sought to find out if a healthy food benefit program for low-income households is associated with fruit and vegetable intake and food security. Results showed that Fresh Bucks households experience a 31% higher rate of food security and consume at least three daily servings of fruits and vegetables 37% more often than those assigned to a program waitlist.
In a press release, Jessica Jones-Smith, co-author of the study and University of Washington affiliate professor of health systems, said these results show a “pretty big impact on diet in terms of what we can do from a policy perspective and expect to make a difference in food insecurity.”
Researchers compared returning applicants who were placed on the waitlist with those who continued receiving benefits. What they found was that losing the benefit reduced food security by 29% and resulted in households being 26% less likely to eat fruits and vegetables at least three times a day.
“We clearly see that once this program goes away, people can no longer afford to eat these foods, as evidenced by the increase in fruits and vegetables when people are receiving the benefit,” Jones-Smith said. “I think that really drives home the fact that money or material resources are necessary for enacting this kind of dietary change.”
Because of the health risks associated with poor diet, insurers are showing more interest in programs that provide free healthy food for patients, according to the university. However, what makes Fresh Bucks different from other healthy food benefit programs is its focused enrollment within disproportionately impacted households and its ability to enable participants to redeem benefits at a large chain food retailer and smaller local stores.
