Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1476506
wbjournal.com | August 22, 2022 | Worcester Business Journal 9 Growing beyond the pilot Though once the program is stable, she does hope it can evolve according to restaurant and SNAP participant interest. The tax-exempt sales, Clark said, should not be a cause for restaurateur concern. Operators can produce records of their SNAP sales and verify certain transactions are immune from meals tax collections. Restaurants can only benefit from opening their doors to an entirely new consumer base, an effect Clark hopes will encourage restaurants in the Massachusetts Restaurant Association to apply. He understands the industry leaves little time for tuning into outside news, so he included the program in an MRA newsletter. "Success breeds success. I think once you start to see a couple of restaurants get in there, and it works, you'll see other restaurants say 'Oh, I want to get in on that,'" Clark said. Mangini said the program's focus on locally owned establishments can energize the Massachusetts economy and potentiate economic opportunity for historically marginalized populations. "The bonus part of this program is that it serves two populations," Mangini said. "It serves the population of SNAP families who can now have access to prepared meals in a way that they historically haven't. But it also recognizes the power of a revenue source to support economic mobility for people of color." And if nothing else, it insists that nobody should be without access to a warm meal. Mass. SNAP program, by the numbers Massachusetts residents who received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in fiscal 2021 Fiscal 2019 average SNAP benefit for each eligible household member Fiscal 2021 benefit per household member, including COVID-related increases Fiscal 2022 benefit per household member Economic activity for every $1 in SNAP benefits Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 929,000 $134 $211 $170 $1.50 PHOTO | EDD COTE W Congratulations to Taylor Lacroix, Senior Division Director of Community Services, on being selected as a WBJ 40 Under Forty Honoree! At Open Sky, we are dedicated to opening the door to possibility for people with complex challenges. We are grateful for Taylor's leadership in helping us do that for people experiencing homelessness, substance use disorders and other challenges. openskycs.org