Meet Three Members Doing Healthy Their Way Using Thrive Market & SNAP EBT

If you are an EBT cardholder, teacher, nurse, first responder, student, veteran, or a family in financial need, you qualify for a free one-year membership through Thrive Gives. With it, you’ll get access to member-only benefits from Thrive Market. Apply here. 

Earlier this year, we achieved a major goal in our work toward food equality when we became the first online-only retailer to accept SNAP EBT — but the real measure of success comes from seeing the people we’ve helped since that day.

All EBT cardholders are automatically able to join our Thrive Gives program, which provides a free one-year Thrive Market membership to deserving groups. We recently caught up with three of those Thrive Gives members to learn more about how they use SNAP EBT to help cover the cost of nourishing foods, pantry staples, home cleaning supplies, and other essentials from Thrive Market. 

Victoria: A Single Mom Who Shops Celiac-Friendly Foods 

It’s one thing to navigate a tricky food allergy; it’s another thing to navigate allergies for both yourself and your little ones. Victoria is a single mom, and she and her young son both live with celiac disease, which means that she’s always conscious of keeping healthy, gluten-free products in their home. “My celiac diagnosis came at age 23, after several years of debilitating chronic health issues,” she says. “Because celiac disease is genetic, I pushed hard to have both of my children tested as toddlers. Thankfully, their pediatricians were willing to run the tests proactively, and when my son’s test came back positive, we were able to adjust his diet immediately.”

With Thrive Gives and SNAP EBT, Victoria is able to shop Thrive Market’s broad assortment of Certified Gluten-Free products affordably and without leaving the house, which is a major time saver for a mom of young children. The whole family now has their favorite gluten-free goodies: “I’m a huge salty snack person, so we always have a box of Kettle chips on hand,” Victoria says. “My kids love the beef sticks and organic fruit circles, because both are tasty and substantial snacks that won’t get crushed in a backpack when we’re out and about — which is most of the time.” 

Victoria now feels like a pro when it comes to navigating gluten-free grocery shopping. “My go-to tip for families that are dealing with a new diagnosis, especially for kids, is to make it easy on yourself,” she says. “Start by focusing on naturally gluten-free foods, like proteins and produce, that your family already eats. Then, move on to incorporating gluten-free swaps for your favorite recipes, like using corn tortillas instead of flour, finding a gluten-free pasta and sandwich bread that you like, or trying some gluten-free baking mixes.” 

Cody: Fueling His Recovery From a Car Accident With Organic Foods

When a car accident left him disabled and unable to work, Cody turned to SNAP EBT and Thrive Gives for help. Since then, he’s been focused on healing (he sustained both a traumatic brain injury and other injuries that left him paralyzed on one side of his body) with a combination of physical therapy, cognitive therapy, and an organic diet. “I’m doing way better than doctors predicted,” Cody says. “They said if I lived, I might not talk again and I probably wouldn’t walk again, but I’m doing both.”

Cody uses his Thrive Gives membership to stock up on healthy groceries, since he sticks to a diet that keeps him in ketosis for the purported cognitive benefits. “I order lots of different nuts, matcha tea, Chomps meat sticks, tuna, and bone broth,” he says. He also adds a boost to his beverages with electrolytes and wellmade Organic Greens. “The greens and electrolytes have kept me hydrated and sustained nutritionally, and the snacks keep me fueled, because it’s difficult to cook using one hand,” he says. 

Najé: An Organic Chef and Mom on a Budget  

As a private chef and stay-at-home mom with a new baby on the way, Thrive Gives member Najé prioritizes cooking with nourishing ingredients for herself, her family, and her clients. She appreciates that Thrive Market gives her the ability not only to shop for products she trusts, but also to easily avoid the ingredients she doesn’t, such as dyes and other additives. 

“There’s such an amazing selection of natural and organic products, not to mention those freebies!” she says of the free gifts that often come with each Thrive Market order. Since she’s pregnant with her second child, Najé loves being able to satisfy her cravings with better ingredients. “My favorite product is the Brownie Batter Granola Butter,” she says. “It’s so good for those who like Nutella, but don’t want to have a whole lot of sugar. My 1-year-old also likes eating it with fruit or on bread.”

Najé also appreciates being able to stock up on pantry staples when she receives her SNAP EBT funds for the month. “I love the plant-based coconut milk powder,” she says. “It’s a lifesaver in coffee and tea, and I even give it to my 1-year-old since we don’t drink dairy.” It’s not just about the convenience of ordering online; Najé also uses Thrive Market’s other features, such as Autoship, to stay on track with her family’s monthly planning. “The fact that I can automatically subscribe to products for the next month when I get my SNAP EBT so I don’t have to worry about grocery shopping really comes in handy if you’re a mom on a budget like me.” 

Meet Other Thrive Gives Members: 

Meet Yoshi, A Busy Medical Student and Thrive Gives Member

Meet Roxanne, A Busy Mom, Army Veteran & Thrive Gives Member 

Meet Thrive Gives Members Nikki, Victoria, Roxanne, Travon, Emilie, Casey, and James