Thrive Market Teams Up With Blue Apron and Care2; Collects Over 300K Petition Signatures to Bring Food Stamps Online

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Thrive Market, the membership-based e-commerce platform on a mission to make healthy living easy and affordable, announced today that their petition to bring food stamps online has reached a milestone of over 300,000 signatures. In a continued effort to drive a national conversation around this issue, Thrive Market has partnered with the world's largest social media site for good Care2 and Blue Apron, the leading fresh ingredient and recipe delivery service in the U.S. Launched in late June, the petition surpassed the initial goal of 100,000 signatures in less than three weeks and reached 300,000 in just two months!

"We are committed to making healthy food accessible to every family in America," says Thrive Market Co-Founder and Co-CEO Gunnar Lovelace. "The solution is simple. In the 21st century, when we can order almost anything online, why can't we use SNAP benefits to buy healthy food? With support from influential, likeminded partners like Blue Apron and Care2, we're raising awareness of the issue and encouraging timely action from the USDA to make a positive change in the lives of tens of millions."

Blue Apron and Care2 join a team of strategic partners including Soylent, This Bar Saves Lives, Kiss My Face, Nutiva, Ancient Harvest, Justin's, Clif Bar, Alter Eco, Garden of Life and more.

"Blue Apron's mission is to make incredible home cooking accessible to everyone," said Matt Salzberg, CEO, Blue Apron. "Our company was built on the belief that it should be affordable for everyone to cook delicious, high-quality meals. This is why we are excited to partner with Thrive Market on this important petition to bring SNAP benefits online, an effort that would have a significant impact on food affordability."

"The Care2 community, 37 million strong, believes in access for all," said Randy Paynter, CEO and Founder of Care2, "More than 23 million Americans live in food deserts, places with little to no access to healthy foods, by expanding SNAP and EBT benefits online everyone will have access to healthier food at lower prices."

Thrive Market also applauds the efforts of Senator Cory Booker, Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman Tim Ryan, who today sent a letter to the USDA requesting an expedited timeline for a potential pilot program. The letter also asks for additional retailers to be accepted into the program, and for the timeline of the pilot to be shortened, leading toward a faster official launch and nationwide adoption. Logistically, the group is also asking the USDA to consider whether it's feasible for retailers to process the benefit transaction at point of sale, rather than point of delivery, without requiring pin numbers to be entered at delivery.

Celebrities supporting the campaign include Kristen Bell, Shailene Woodley, Rosario Dawson, Matthew McConaughey, Russell Simmons, Arianna Huffington and Deepak Chopra. Nonprofits such as Share our Strength and the Organic Consumers Association have also shown support.

Visit ThriveMarket.com to learn more and ThriveAction.org to sign the USDA petition.

About Thrive Market
Thrive Market is a membership e-commerce platform on a mission to make the world's highest quality natural and organic products affordable for every American family. For $60 per year, Thrive Market members get access to their favorite natural snacks, supplements, home, beauty, and baby products at up to 50% off traditional retail prices, shipped directly to their door for free. Each paid membership on the site also sponsors a free membership for a low-income family. Visit ThriveMarket.com to learn more and ThriveAction.org to sign the USDA petition.

About Care2
Care2 (www.Care2.com) is a community of 37 million standing together for good. People are making world-changing impact with Care2, starting petitions and supporting each other's campaigns to help individuals, animals and the environment. A pioneer of online advocacy since 1998, Care2 is a B Corporation, or social enterprise, using the power of business as a force for good.

About Blue Apron
Blue Apron makes incredible home cooking accessible by delivering original recipes and fresh ingredients to customers nationwide. Launched in 2012, Blue Apron is the leading fresh ingredient and recipe delivery service in the United States and delivers eight million meals a month to its loyal following of home chefs. By reinventing the grocery supply chain from the farm to the dinner table, Blue Apron is able to source top-quality, seasonal ingredients, that are fresher and more affordable than customers can get on their own at their local supermarket. Chefs around the world wear blue aprons when learning to cook, and the blue apron has become a symbol of lifelong learning in cooking.  Blue Apron encourages this lifelong learning by introducing members to new ingredients, flavors and cooking techniques with every recipe it creates. Blue Apron was recently named one of Inc. Magazine's "10 Most Innovative Startups of 2014" and one of Mashable's "10 Startups to Watch in 2015". For more information, visit: http://www.blueapron.com.

For more information:
Abby Dixon
[email protected]
646.362.4687

SOURCE Thrive Market

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