Banco DE alimentos DE puerto rico ,INC.'s (bapr) mission is to distribute food, as well as to provide good nourishment to the population in need, by increasing the purchase of local fruits and…

This Project Grant award from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (CFDA 10.331) provides $200,000 to Banco De Alimentos Puerto Rico, Inc. (BAPR) to increase the purchase of local fruits and vegetables by Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) participants in Puerto Rico.

The funding will enable BAPR to provide a $0.50 credit for every dollar NAP participants spend on fruits and vegetables from local approved vendors, which they can then use to acquire eligible food products from BAPR. This financial incentive aims to improve dietary health, reduce food insecurity, and decrease healthcare costs by increasing produce consumption among low-income individuals. BAPR currently works with 22 local agencies that serve food-insecure and underserved populations, and this award will support expanding access to fresh, locally-sourced fruits and vegetables for these community-based programs.

Banco DE alimentos DE puerto rico ,INC.'s (bapr) mission is to distribute food, as well as to provide good nourishment to the population in need, by increasing the purchase of local fruits and vegetables by NAP participants in puerto rico. This will be achieved by providing a financial incentive with the purchase of fruits and vegetables from local NAP approved vendors to be used in the acquisition of food products at bapr. The NAP participating agencies will present the proof of purchase of fruits and vegetables (receipt from local NAP approved retailer) to bapr and they will receive a $0.50 credit for every dollar spent to receive snap/NAP eligible foods at the bapr. The following is also necessary:1. Certified NAP participating commerce, must be listed by the department of family / ADSEF2. Detailed receipt indicating commerce, date, time, and payment METHOD3. A minimum of ten dollars ($10.00) must be spent on fruits and VEGETABLES4. Payment method must be the family cardbapr currently works with 22 agencies around the island that take care of food insecure, poverty-stricken older adults and underserved populations. These agencies use individuals NAP benefit cards for the purchase of food products, to purchase food that they prepare to feed their participants breakfast, lunch, and dinners daily. These agencies have a tight budget and must make the most of their purchases. For this reason, fresh produce is often overlooked as produce has experienced rising prices and generally has a short shelf life.