Seattle Fresh Bucks: $60 a Month for Produce and How the Waitlist Works
Fresh Bucks is the City of Seattle's fruit and vegetable benefit. In 2026, enrolled households get $60 on a card on the first of each month to spend on produce at farmers markets, neighborhood grocers and Seattle Safeway stores. The catch is that it's a waitlist with a random drawing, not a first-come program. The good news: if you have an EBT card, you can already get produce discounts at the same stores today, with no application at all. Here's how both sides work.
AT A GLANCE
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Two ways into the same stores
People mix these up, so here's the split before anything else.
Fresh Bucks benefit | SNAP produce incentives | |
|---|---|---|
Who it's for | Seattle residents at or below 80% AMI who are picked from the waitlist | Anyone paying with a SNAP/EBT card at a participating retailer |
Do you apply? | Yes, through the Fresh Bucks waitlist | No. Your EBT card is all you need. |
What you get | $60 a month on a Fresh Bucks Card or the HealthyBenefits+ app | 50% off, a match, or a $5 coupon, depending on the store type |
When it starts | Only after you're selected and notified | The next time you shop |
You can be in both groups. If you're on SNAP, use the incentives now, then compare your income with the Fresh Bucks table below. If you're under the limit, join the waitlist too.
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Do you qualify for the waitlist?
There are two tests: where you live and what your household earns.
City limits. You must live inside Seattle city limits, not just a Seattle mailing address. Fresh Bucks is paid for by the City, partly from the Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax. The apply page has a lookup tool to check your address. If you enroll and later move outside the city, you'll be removed from the program.
Income. Your household income must be at or below these amounts, which equal 80% of Area Median Income:
Household size | Yearly income | Monthly income |
|---|---|---|
1 | $81,700 | $6,808 |
2 | $93,350 | $7,779 |
3 | $105,000 | $8,750 |
4 | $116,650 | $9,720 |
5 | $126,000 | $10,500 |
6 | $135,350 | $11,279 |
7 | $144,650 | $12,054 |
8 | $154,000 | $12,833 |
9 | $163,350 | $13,612 |
10 or more | $172,650 | $14,387 |
The limits are higher than many people expect, so check the table before you assume you earn too much.
One per household. Each household can get one benefit. If someone you live with is already enrolled, a second application won't be accepted.
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How the drawing works
The waitlist exists because funding only covers a set number of households. When there's room, the program picks eligible applicants at random. You'll get notice by mail and email if you're chosen, along with the date your benefits start.
Some households get extra chances. You earn an extra entry for each of these:
Your household is in the lowest income category.
Your household mainly speaks a language other than English.
You stayed on the waitlist after the first enrollment period without being picked.
Meet one criterion and your name goes in twice. Meet two and it goes in three times, and so on. If you aren't picked, you don't need to reapply. Your application stays on the list and your odds improve over time.
"Submitting multiple applications will not increase your chance of enrollment." (Seattle Fresh Bucks)
So apply once, carefully, and then keep your information current.
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Applying, step by step
Check your address with the city-limits tool on the Fresh Bucks apply page.
Add up your household income and compare it with the table above.
Fill out the waitlist application at seattlefreshbucks.org/apply. It asks for the number of people in your household, your household income, your home address and your date of birth. The application stays open, so you can apply anytime.
Watch your mail and email. That's how the program tells you whether you've been picked. You can also call 206-256-5438 or email freshbucks@seattle.gov for a status update.
Report changes. If you move or your income changes while you wait, contact the program to update your application.
When you're selected, register your card. You'll need the 17-digit card number and the 4-digit security code from the back of the card to set up your online account.
Fresh Bucks information comes in 14 languages, including Amharic, Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese. You can ask for mail in your preferred language by calling or emailing the program.
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Using the card once you're in
Your $60 arrives on the 1st of every month. It doesn't roll over, so plan a mid-month and an end-of-month trip to use it all. Check your balance by calling 1-833-818-6782, logging in online, or using the free HealthyBenefits+ app, which can also find stores near you.
At checkout, the cashier scans the barcode on your card or app, and the produce cost comes off your balance. At a farmers market, go to the information booth first. They'll scan your card and give you paper currency to spend at Fresh Bucks vendors. Anyone in your household can shop with the card, but benefits can't be given to another household.
What you can and can't buy:
Where | Fresh Bucks can buy | Fresh Bucks can't buy (anywhere) |
|---|---|---|
Farmers markets and independent grocers | Fresh fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, edible plant starts, and canned, frozen or dried produce with no added salt, fat or sugar | Nuts, seeds and nut butters; juice, smoothies and cider; dried or powdered herbs and seasonings; eggs, dairy, grains, meat, seafood and poultry |
Seattle Safeway stores | Fresh fruits and vegetables, mushrooms and herbs | Same list |
The program says that list isn't complete and can change, so ask the cashier if you're unsure.
There are more than 45 participating retailers in the city. If your card is lost, tell the program right away. They'll cancel it and send a new one. Meanwhile you can print a temporary card from your online account or pay with the app.
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If you're on SNAP: produce discounts you can use today
These incentives work at participating Fresh Bucks retailers with nothing but your EBT card:
Fresh Bucks Savings at independent grocers and farm stands. Pay for qualifying fruits and vegetables with your EBT card and get 50% off.
SNAP Market Match at farmers markets. At the information booth, swipe your EBT card for the amount you want. You get that amount in EBT tokens plus the same amount in Market Match dollars. Market Match dollars buy fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds and plant starts.
SNAP Produce Match at supermarkets. Buy at least $10 of qualifying fruits and vegetables with EBT and get a $5 coupon on your receipt for produce on your next trip.
"Qualifying" means fresh, frozen or dried fruits and vegetables with no added fat, sugar or salt. Market Match and Produce Match are part of Washington State's Fruit and Vegetable Incentive program.
Not on SNAP yet? In Washington, SNAP is called Basic Food. You can apply at washingtonconnection.org, by calling DSHS at 877-501-2233, or at a DSHS Community Services Office. DSHS encourages anyone who thinks they might qualify to apply and finish the interview, since approval depends on several factors.
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Before you call
☐ Your full name exactly as it appears on your application
☐ Your home address, confirmed as inside Seattle city limits
☐ The number of people in your household and your total household income
☐ Your date of birth
☐ Your 17-digit card number and 4-digit security code, if you're already enrolled
☐ Your new address or income, if something changed
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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More help in Seattle
Related guides
Official sources
Last checked: October 23, 2026. The $60 monthly amount is the 2026 benefit listed by the City and the Fresh Bucks FAQ. Income limits come from the current waitlist application page.
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