Redlands expands grocery gift card program to help 1,000 more households

REDLANDS, Calif. — Redlands City Council has approved the expansion of its popular grocery gift card program, aiming to assist an additional 1,000 eligible households with monthly food assistance. 

Why it matters: Under the expanded program, newly eligible households will receive $100 grocery gift cards each month for a year. This extension builds on the success of the original initiative, which reached its initial capacity of 1,400 households within the first three months.

Details: The decision, made during the Oct. 15 city council meeting, reallocates $1.2 million from the city's pandemic response fund to support families still grappling with economic challenges.

"Our recommendation today is to expand the program participant number to 2,400 for an additional 1,000 households," Grant Coordinator Selina Sanchez explained. "This can be achieved with the reallocation of the $1.2 million from the pandemic response category."

The funds were originally set aside for public health response efforts and mitigation. However, with the city's ongoing pandemic-related expenses significantly reduced, officials felt comfortable using the funds to expand the grocery assistance program.

Council members expressed unanimous support for the expansion, praising the program's direct impact on residents in need.

What they’re saying: "This is a fantastic program," Mayor Pro Tem Paul Barich commented. "It serves two purposes. First of all, we're giving direct help to people that need it. Number two, these are certificates that are going to a market in Redlands to spend the money."

About the program: The gift cards are redeemable at Ranch Market in Redlands, ensuring that the funds not only assist families but also support local businesses.

The grocery gift card program is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) initiative in Redlands. The city received a total allocation of approximately $11.5 million from the $350 billion State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) through ARPA.

As of the most recent quarterly report, Redlands has expended about $7.5 million since the program's inception, with approximately $4 million in funds currently in progress. The ARPA funds must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024, and fully spent by December 2026.

Other ARPA-funded programs in Redlands include utility bill assistance, homeless outreach initiatives and economic recovery efforts for local businesses. The city has also used ARPA funds for premium pay to eligible employees and grants to local nonprofits.

"This is the number one request that we've had from members of the public, and it's been the most successful part of our ARPA response," Council Member Jenna Guzman-Lowery said.