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7/16/2026
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President Lawson, Rep. Tanzi join celebration of ‘Eat Well, Be Well’ program’s success, continuation
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 STATE HOUSE – Today, Senate President Valarie J. Lawson, in partnership with the Rhode Island House of Representatives, the Rhode Island Department of Human Services, the Rhode Island Public Health Institute, and leaders from the state’s nonprofit, food access, and grocery sectors, celebrated the early success and recent extension of the statewide Eat Well, Be Well program.
Eat Well, Be Well is a statewide, public-private initiative that helps Rhode Islanders who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) more easily access and afford fresh fruits and vegetables. Through the program, SNAP customers receive an additional 50 cents in benefits to their EBT cards for every SNAP dollar spent on eligible fresh fruit and vegetable purchases at participating grocery stores, with up to $25 in extra benefits being awarded per month. Eat Well, Be Well incentives are available at all Walmart and Stop & Shop locations in Rhode Island, and at the West African Super Store in South Providence.
Since its launch in 2024, more than 106,000 Rhode Island households have benefited from Eat Well, Be Well, earning roughly $10 million in additional SNAP funding by buying healthy, fresh produce in the grocery store. State leaders recently supported the program with $4.1 million in additional funding in Rhode Island’s FY 27 budget. This will allow Eat Well, Be Well to continue past its pilot stage, which was previously slated to conclude this summer.
“Food insecurity is a critical issue in the United States and in Rhode Island, where hundreds of thousands of our residents don’t always have enough to eat or know where their next meal is coming from. It is imperative that we do our part to address this issue and provide nutritious foods for our most vulnerable populations – and the Eat Well, Be Well program does just that,” said President Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence). “By expanding the purchasing power of SNAP recipients when they purchase healthy foods, this program provides an essential boost to families’ grocery budgets at a time where federal cuts threaten to make food insecurity even more common.”
“Since it began in 2024 as a pilot program to combat food insecurity and encourage Rhode Island families to eat more fruits and vegetables, Eat Well, Be Well has served more than 106,000 households and provided more than $10 million in additional SNAP benefits for those who need them most,” said Rep. Teresa A. Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett). “At a time when food prices continue to rise and more Rhode Islanders have difficulty putting enough food on the table, it is critical that this program will continue to make it easier for SNAP recipients to purchase healthy foods for themselves and their families.”
The Rhode Island Public Health Institute (RIPHI), an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing complex health disparities, served as the lead evaluator of Eat Well, Be Well’s pilot phase. RIPHI analyzed data provided by the State and private retail partners and collected feedback from more than 3,500 Rhode Islanders over the course of two years. Among other findings, RIPHI's evaluation showed roughly 70% of users reported the program has a direct role in helping them eat more fruits and vegetables. Likewise, among parents, 70% said the program helped them feed their children more fresh produce.
“As food costs continue to challenge household budgets, Eat Well, Be Well helps Rhode Islanders stretch their SNAP benefits while making healthy food more affordable and accessible,” said Kimberly Merolla-Brito, director, Rhode Island Department of Human Services. “I am pleased this program will continue to provide meaningful financial support to SNAP households, helping families put more fresh fruits and vegetables on the table while supporting healthier communities across Rhode Island.”
“Rhode Island's Eat Well, Be Well retail SNAP incentive program is an innovative, first-in-the-nation initiative with proven, widespread public health results, and we are thrilled and grateful that State leaders have chosen to keep it active with additional support,” said Dr. Amy Nunn, CEO, Rhode Island Public Health Institute. “Since its launch in 2024, this program has helped more than 140,000 Rhode Islanders who rely on SNAP, particularly children, older adults, and Black and Hispanic families across the state, better access and afford nutritious food when shopping in produce aisles at participating grocery stores. We see the success of this program as a national model that can be replicated across the country, and we thank Senate President Lawson, the leaders at DHS, and all partners for bringing it to life.”
“Since its launch, Eat Well, Be Well has helped make healthy food more affordable and accessible for Rhode Island families by empowering SNAP participants with supplemental dollars to put more fresh fruits and vegetables on their tables,” said Mary Beth Hawthorne, Regional Vice President for Stop & Shop. “We're proud to support the program's continued growth and applaud the state's commitment to innovative solutions that improve food access. We hope that Eat Well Be Well's continued success inspires other states to adopt similar approaches to make access to nutritious, affordable food easier for every community.”
“At Walmart, we know families want to make healthy choices, but affordability can be a real barrier. Eat Well, Be Well helps remove some of that pressure by giving SNAP customers more purchasing power when they buy fresh produce,” said Chris Buchanan, director of public affairs, Walmart. “We’re pleased to support a program that aligns so closely with our mission to help people save money and live better.”
Learn more about the Eat Well, Be Well program by clicking here.
For more information, contact:
Daniel Kittredge, Deputy Directory of Communications
State House Room 112
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 276-5516
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