# FNS SNAP Retailer Locator MCP for AI Agents AI Agent Connect > FNS SNAP Retailer Locator helps you find every store authorized to accept SNAP benefits across the United States. It pulls directly from USDA public data, so you can filter by zip code, city, or GPS coordinates to see exactly where food resources are available for families in need. ## Overview - **Category:** data-analytics - **Price:** Free - **Endpoint:** https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_zeNexzFofr6OZ08cczgcr0dkrPPtCXNm0K9x3DxW/ai-agent-connect - **Tags:** public-records, spatial-data, retail-location, geospatial, data-query, social-services ## Description This Connector lets you talk to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service database to find out where people can actually use their SNAP benefits. Instead of digging through messy government websites or trying to scrape public records yourself, you can just ask your agent to do the heavy lifting. It handles the queries for you, whether you need to find a grocery store in a specific zip code or see every authorized retailer within a 10-mile radius of a certain coordinate. Because it uses public government data, you don't have to worry about setting up complex API keys or managing credentials. You can just get to work finding food resources for social services, mapping out food deserts for research, or planning community outreach for public health programs. It's one of the many tools available in the Vinkius catalog that turns a tedious data-gathering task into a simple conversation. You get back clean store names and addresses without the usual headache of manual searching. ## Tools ### search_retailers_by_location Find SNAP-authorized retailers within a specific radius of a GPS coordinate. This is perfect for finding nearby food resources from a specific point. ### search_retailers Search for SNAP-authorized retailers by attributes like State, City, or Zip Code. Use this when you need to find stores in a specific geographic area. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Find all SNAP-authorized retailers in zip code 30303. ``` **Response:** ``` I found several SNAP-authorized retailers in Atlanta (30303), including **CVS Pharmacy** on Peachtree St and **Walgreens** on Marietta St. Would you like the full list of addresses? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Search for SNAP stores within 10 miles of latitude 34.05, longitude -118.24. ``` **Response:** ``` Searching near Los Angeles... I've located **45 authorized retailers** within 10 miles of those coordinates. Notable locations include **Target** on W 7th St and **Whole Foods Market** on Grand Ave. ``` **Prompt:** ``` List SNAP retailers in Virginia that have 'Market' in their name. ``` **Response:** ``` Querying retailers in VA with 'Market' in the name... I found entries like **Union Market** in Richmond and **Farmers Market** in Alexandria. Do you want to see more results or filter by city? ``` ## Capabilities ### Filter by zip code or city Find SNAP-authorized stores in a specific neighborhood using standard geographic attributes. ### Find stores near a coordinate Get a list of retailers within a set radius of any specific GPS point. ### Pull store names and addresses Get the exact location details for thousands of authorized retailers. ### Browse large lists Navigate through multiple pages of results to see every store in a large region. ## Use Cases ### Finding local food resources for a family A social worker needs to find food resources for a family in a specific zip code. They ask the agent to list all SNAP stores in that area using search_retailers. ### Mapping food deserts in a specific state An analyst is mapping food deserts in Virginia. They use the agent to find all retailers with 'Market' in the name to see distribution patterns. ### Planning community outreach near a center A health official wants to see stores within 10 miles of a new community center. They ask the agent to pull the list from a GPS coordinate. ### Coordinating food delivery routes A non-profit wants to see all retailers in a specific city to coordinate a delivery route. They use the attribute search to get all names and addresses. ## Benefits - Access to official USDA data ensures you're working with the most accurate information available for SNAP benefits. - No API keys are required since the data is public, making it much faster to get your agent running. - You can perform spatial searches using miles or kilometers to find retailers near specific coordinates. - The tool handles complex filters like store names and zip codes so you don't have to write manual queries. - Pagination lets you browse through thousands of retailers without hitting limits or getting overwhelmed by data. ## How It Works The bottom line is you get instant access to USDA SNAP data without the manual research. 1. Connect your AI client to the Connector through Vinkius. 2. Ask your agent to find retailers using natural language like zip codes or coordinates. 3. Receive a clean list of authorized locations and addresses. ## Frequently Asked Questions **What is the FNS SNAP Retailer Locator MCP?** It is a tool that lets your AI agent search the USDA database to find stores authorized to accept SNAP benefits. It helps you find food resources quickly without manual searching. **Can I use FNS SNAP Retailer Locator to find food assistance?** Yes, it's designed for that. You can ask your agent to find stores in specific zip codes or cities to help people find where they can use their benefits. **Does FNS SNAP Retailer Locator require an API key?** No, it doesn't. Because this Connector accesses public government data, you can start using it immediately without setting up any credentials. **How can I use FNS SNAP Retailer Locator for research?** Researchers can use it to map out food deserts or identify the distribution of authorized retailers across different states and regions. **Can FNS SNAP Retailer Locator search by GPS coordinates?** Yes, you can ask your agent to find all authorized stores within a certain radius of any specific latitude and longitude. **Is the data in FNS SNAP Retailer Locator up to date?** It pulls from the official USDA Food and Nutrition Service database, which is the primary source for SNAP-authorized retailer information. **How do I search for SNAP retailers in a specific zip code?** You can use the `search_retailers` tool and provide a filter like `Zip5 = '20001'` in the `where` parameter. This will return all authorized retailers within that specific postal area. **Can I find retailers near my current GPS coordinates?** Yes! Use the `search_retailers_by_location` tool by providing your `longitude` and `latitude`. You can also specify a `distance` (default is 5 miles) to define the search radius. **Is there a limit to how many retailers I can retrieve at once?** By default, the tools return up to 100 records. You can adjust this using the `resultRecordCount` parameter, and use `resultOffset` to paginate through larger lists of retailers.