A health-related social needs program
Project Bread provides food and nutrition services to eligible MassHealth members through the Health-Related Social Needs program.
These services are available to eligible MassHealth members only. Services vary by ACO. Availability of these services may vary depending on your health plan.
Eligibility for Project Bread’s Health Related Social Needs Program is determined by meeting the following three criteria.
* Community Care Cooperative offers medically tailored services with different criteria. Details can be found here.
For Mercy Alliance, Community Alliance, Care Alliance, BILH Performance Network, Fallon Health, and UMass Memorial Health:
For NeighborHealth, Boston Children's ACO, Community Care Cooperative, and Mass General Brigham:
If you believe you meet all three of these criteria, please reach out to your health care provider, or contact your insurance provider to be screened for eligibility. You may be referred to Project Bread, or another service provider, based on your medical needs.
If you receive your coverage through a MassHealth provider that has not partnered with Project Bread, you may still be able to get food assistance. Reach out to your provider and ask for information about what services are available.
Already enrolled in the program with Project Bread and need help accessing your benefits? Please see the resources below:
JUMP TO RESOURCE:
Our digital Food Benefit offers a monthly grocery benefit to eligible individuals. Your food benefit can be used only at the following retailers:
The types of foods you can purchase will depend on your food benefit plan: All Foods or Healthy Food Only (see FAQ section below). Digital benefits are issued by email or text at the beginning of each month and expire on the last day of that month. Talk to your Project Bread coordinator if you require a physical card.
Your Food Benefit is only accepted at these stores. Stores not listed will not accept your Project Bread Food Benefit.
For help with using your food benefit and other general support, email us at support@iqpay.com
For support with checkout or cashier questions, call us at 888-253-5667 (available in English & Spanish)
For questions about eligibility and Project Bread membership, please see the section above - Eligibility - or call 617-239-2544
Frequently asked questions about the Project Bread Food Benefit
Your benefit will arrive by either email or text depending on the preference you shared with your Project Bread Coordinator. The message will contain a link which you can click right away and this will open the virtual card. You can select your language in the upper right corner of the screen.
This program provides two different Food Benefit plans: Healthy Foods Only and All Foods
Healthy Foods Only: All food items can be purchased with this benefit card EXCEPT for soups, sauces, condiments, salad kits, or dips (like salsa, ketchup, or salad dressing); processed meats (like bacon, sausage, hotdogs, nuggets, or deli meat); sweetened dairy or beverages (like flavored milk, yogurt, soda, juice, or coffee); pasta, noodles, flavored grain mixes, snack foods, or desserts (like chips, crackers, cookies, or candy). For a full list of foods you can purchase, please see [Project Bread Healthy Foods Only - Approved Product List]
All Foods: your funds can be used to purchase all food items. We encourage you to choose items that support a balanced diet such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Alcohol and non-food items cannot be purchased with your card.
The benefit you receive depends on your medical diagnosis and insurance plan. Your nutrition coordinator will review what items you can purchase with your card
No. You must use up your food benefits by the last day of each month. They will not rollover.
You will receive a text message or email with a link to access your food benefit. Simply click the link, select the store you will shop at, click "show payment code" and a barcode or QR code will appear for the cashier to scan. If you require a physical card, you will need to activate it by calling (888) 253-5667. Physical cards can only be swiped at checkout.
It’s possible your phone number or email address need to be updated. Please contact your coordinator to check your account.
Physical cards may take up to 3-4 weeks to process and mail to your address. For this reason, we strongly recommend starting with a digital food benefit first.
The benefits are intended for your child, and you should use their date of birth for activation.
Your food benefit will appear as either a digital bar code or QR code that can be scanned at checkout. Digital benefits will include instructions for the cashier when you pull up the barcode or QR code on your phone. If you are using the card for the first time at a new store, it is recommended to test using the card with one item first to ensure that it works correctly.
There are no restrictions on the frequency of purchases. If you run out of funds, you will need to use an additional payment method to cover the cost of your items. You cannot load additional funds onto your Project Bread Food Benefit.
You can check your available reward balance by calling (888) 253-5667 or by viewing your digital benefit on your phone.
Your card is reloaded on the first day of each month. You can also check your balance by calling (888) 253-5667.
Benefits are issued on the first day of each month and expire at the end of each month and do not rollover. Participation may be terminated if you change insurance providers, lose MassHealth eligibility, or fail to be rescreened for the program every 6 months.
Returns can be made within the same month that an item was purchased. If you return an item in a different month than the month it was purchased, it will not return value to your card. If your card has been suspended due to changes in your insurance plan, you cannot make a return unless the card is reinstated.
Contact your coordinator. Your coordinator can issue a new digital benefit, and if needed, update your phone number. Funds are not guaranteed to be recovered but a new card may be issued with a new link, which will re-load on the first of the month.
Contact your coordinator to ask if a replacement physical card can be sent. In the meantime, digital options are available.
lease ensure the items you are attempting to purchase are approved by our program. If you receive Healthy Foods Only Benefits, please refer to our catalog to ensure the item is approved. If you are using a physical card, ensure you are using it at a Project Bread HRSN approved grocery store [Walmart, Shaws, Stop & Shop, Star Market, Hannaford, CVS, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Rite Aid]. For support with checkout or cashier questions, call us at 888-253-5667
Click "show all" to view all resources
List of approved items you can purchase with your Healthy Foods Only Benefits
Join us online for our fun and engaging cooking classes where you’ll learn how to prepare nutritious meals on a budget to meet your family or individual health goals. All classes are hosted virtually on zoom. If you would like to enroll in one of these classes, please contact your Project Bread Coordinator. Explore our classes:
A 3-part series about quick meals, grocery planning, building a balanced plate, creating healthy snacks, and tips for picky eaters. This class is taught by a Registered Dietitian and Chef.
A 3-part series about meal planning, food storage, weight maintenance, and fueling for exercise. This class is taught by a Registered Dietitian and Chef.
A 3-part series about how to manage blood sugar, creating balanced carb combos, and lifestyle changes for managing diabetes. This class is taught by a Registered Dietitian and Chef.
Learn how to shop smart on a budget! This class repeats each month and covers navigating the grocery store, healthy alternatives to fast food & frozen meals, ways to maximize SNAP and HIP, and more. This class is taught by a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Services Coordinator.
Access pre-recorded classes for HRSN Members Only
Instructions for joining our classes and try-at-home recipes
Tips for managing health conditions, preparing food for kids, and helpful cookbooks for cooking on a budget. Click "show all" to view all resources
Nutrition tips to live a healthy life with diabetes
Ways to help manage the feeling of heartburn after meals.
Ways to use diet to help manage your cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.
Follow these basic guidelines to help boost your health and well-being!
Pick from two categories to make a healthy snack
Making healthy fun for kids
Simple recipes using fresh ingredients that can be prepared in a microwave.
A cookbook for how to eat well on a limited income, particularly on a $4/day SNAP budget.
Grocery Budgeting Tips
Our registered dietitians provide individualized nutrition counseling to MassHealth members enrolled in our program who are in need of more specialized care.
What can you expect if you meet with a dietitian?
In your first session, we will ask a series of health questions to help us understand your nutrition needs. From there we will talk with you about your health goals.
Once we understand your goals we will work with you to identify small changes that you can achieve.
If you decide to meet with a dietitian more than once, we will use additional sessions to review your progress, discuss the challenges you encountered and continue to build on each success as you move toward your goals.
