Pilot Food Marts has been authorized by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to accept EBT/SNAP benefits at 38 Knoxville-area locations
The USDA administers the SNAP federal food assistance program formerly known as the Food Stamp program. SNAP provides low-income households with electronic benefits that are used like a debit card to purchase food at stores authorized by the USDA, according to the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel.
While the SNAP program is administered by the USDA, benefits are distributed by individual states. Pilot said it will accept EBT and SNAP cards issued by every state.
“One in eight Americans use EBT/SNAP as a payment option, and we previously could not accommodate those customers. This figure has been our key factor in pursuing authorization as an EBT/SNAP retailer. It’s critical for Pilot convenience stores to better meet the needs of our customers by participating in this program. The convenience of our customers is always our top priority,” said Dan Fleming, vice president of operations for Pilot, which is headquartered in Knoxville and operates 39 convenience stores in Tennessee.