Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program
Earn free, fresh produce when you
use your SNAP card at participating markets!
What is the healthy incentives program?
HIP is a year-round benefit managed by the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) that helps Massachusetts residents purchase more fresh fruits and vegetables at no extra cost.
Each month, the HIP benefit provides a dollar-for-dollar reimbursement to SNAP users when they buy fresh food directly from Massachusetts farmers. Historically, this reimbursement has ranged from $40-$80, depending on household size.
Effective September 1, 2025, the DTA is has restored the monthly HIP reimbursement to the previous levels.
$40 = 1-2 people
$60 = 3-5 people
$80 = 6+ people
take action to support hip today!
Take Action: Tell the Governor Why HIP Matters!
The Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) helps families access fresh, local food while supporting Massachusetts farmers — and your voice makes a difference.
Call the Office of Governor Maura Healey at (617) 725-4005 to share how HIP has positively impacted you, your farm, or your community — especially since the recent funding cuts were reversed.
Your story helps ensure HIP remains strong as the state begins planning for the FY27 budget. Let’s keep this vital program growing!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I sign up for HIP?
All SNAP recipients are automatically enrolled in the HIP program.
What is the total amount of HIP Incentive I can earn monthly?
Effective September 1, 2025. $40 for 1-2 people, $60 for 3-5 people, and $80 for 6+ people.
Do HIP dollars carry over month to month?
Remaining balances DO NOT carry over to the next month, so be sure to plan your visit to participating markets like the REC Mobile Market each month to earn the maximum benefit!! HIP renews on the 1st of the month regardless of when your SNAP dollars are reloaded.
How do I find my HIP balance?
Call 1(800) 997-2555 to find out how much HIP you have used. You must have a SNAP balance to use HIP.
What if I get less than $20 a month in SNAP?
Our staff will run several small transactions on your card to get you your full monthly HIP benefit. For example: You have $10 SNAP balance, and wish to purchase a produce bag for $20 using your HIP benefits. We will draw $10 from your card, replacing it with $10 form HIP, and do a second transaction for $10 which is also returned from HIP. You will have spent $20 in HIP using $10 of SNAP.
What if my remaining SNAP balance when I shop is less than my total amount of monthly HIP dollars?
We can run several smaller transactions to get you to the desired HIP purchase amount. Please reserve a balance of $5 of SNAP on your card to minimize wait time for other customers. If you have a balance of less than $5, we may ask you to wait until we have served other customers to complete your transaction.
What if I have zero balance?
You are not able to earn HIP for the month if you have a $0 balance.
Can someone else use my card for me?
Yes. Households can give permission to friends, family, or other trusted people to use their EBT card on their behalf, with no need for formal documentation or written paperwork. Please provide your pin to the person using our card in order to complete the transaction at time of pick up.
Will you take money from my regular SNAP balance?
As long as you have HIP available, your purchase will not reduce your SNAP balance. If you run out of HIP, you may still use SNAP balance to purchase produce.
Do you take cash benefits?
Yes, REC Farmers Market accept cash benefits, however, HIP doesn't apply to purchases made with cash benefits, so you will not have any money reimbursed.