Louisiana lawmakers consider SNAP benefits for food delivery fees

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Louisiana state lawmakers are examining whether SNAP recipients should be allowed to use their benefits on food delivery services.

State Representative Barbara Carpenter’s resolution would ask the Louisiana Department of Health to study expanding SNAP to cover delivery fees and service charges on online grocery orders for elderly and mobility-limited individuals. If it passes, LDH would have to report back by February on cost, feasibility, and potential impact on health outcomes.

“Gathering data and evaluating whether expanding access to grocery delivery could help improve food security and quality of life for vulnerable individuals,” Carpenter said.

The resolution passed the Health and Welfare Committee and will now move to the full House for a vote.

Addressing food access barriers

Carpenter said delivery is not a convenience but a necessity for accessing food for many vulnerable residents.

Nearly 600 seniors rely on Ascension Council on Aging’s home delivered meals program. Executive Director Darlene Schexnayder said the program provides one meal a day, five days a week.

Schexnayder said most of their seniors are living at or below the poverty line, and the program helps make sure they don’t go hungry. However, she said it’s still not enough.

“There are weekends, there are two other meals that seniors need to eat. If you’re homebound, a lot of the time you cannot walk the grocery store to pick up the groceries you need, and if you don’t have a family member to do it for you, then you’re stuck,” Schexnayder said.

She believes Carpenter’s idea could help fill that gap. The goal is to increase access to healthier foods while removing financial or transportation barriers for vulnerable community members.

“Anything to help them access services, and food is a great benefit,” Schexnayder said.

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