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A study by researchers from CUNY SPH and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOH) provides the first qualitative evaluation of the Groceries to Go program.
Relaunched in 2023, the initiative provides monthly digital grocery credits to members of NYC Health + Hospitals’ NYC Care program who are navigating food insecurity alongside chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension.
For the study, the collaborative research team analyzed in-depth interviews and surveys with participants enrolled for at least six months, capturing crucial nuances in how digital food benefits are utilized across different household sizes and languages.
Findings suggest the program, which provided a discount for fruit and vegetable purchases, helped participants purchase more healthful options and experience less stress about feeding their households.
Participants reported high satisfaction with the program: 82% were satisfied with the overall quality of food received and 88% with food availability. Among those who said online shopping saved time, participants estimated saving an average of 7.2 hours per month compared with shopping in person. Many also said the program enabled them to buy more fruits, vegetables and other foods aligned with their health needs, while easing financial pressure and anxiety about having enough food.
The program serves an exceptionally vulnerable, largely immigrant demographic that must manage complex chronic illnesses on extremely restricted food budgets.
“For many immigrant New Yorkers who are excluded from federal safety-net programs like SNAP, managing a chronic illness like diabetes or hypertension becomes a daily crisis of affordability,” says Professor Diana Romero, a co-author on the study. “This program demonstrates that when we intentionally direct digital food assistance toward vulnerable, uninsured communities, we aren’t just helping them fill their stomachs; we are providing the exact nutritional and economic lifeline needed to manage severe medical conditions with dignity.”
“What is especially promising about the Groceries to Go model is that it combines direct financial assistance, a root cause of food insecurity, with incentives for healthy food and the convenience of online shopping, while channeling dollars through neighborhood grocery stores,” says Professor Nevin Cohen, the study’s lead author.
The research brought together the specialized expertise of two CUNY SPH entities: the Center for Immigrant, Refugee and Global Health and the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute, working in close collaboration with the NYC DOH to design data instruments, recruit participants, and evaluate the program’s real-world impacts.
