Curious on how to apply for the Food Stamp Program? With the economic upheaval brought forth by the coronavirus pandemic, it’s not impossible to find yourself struggling in keeping up with your household needs, especially when buying food.
Fortunately, through the Food Stamp Program, now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), eligible families can now afford a nutritionally adequate diet with the assistance of the government. If you’re from a low-wage working family, applying for this program can benefit you greatly.
Here, we have prepared a brief guide that will help you discover how to participate in the nation’s most important anti-hunger program. Read on to know whether you’re eligible, how you can apply, and what to expect from the program.
What Is SNAP?
To briefly explain, SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is the term now used to refer to what was formerly called the Food Stamp Program.
Essentially, this works as an anti-hunger program, where the federal government pays to provide food-purchasing assistance to low-wage working families, low-income seniors, and people with disabilities living on fixed incomes.
Who are Eligible for SNAP?
SNAP serves as a federal assistance program geared towards individuals and households with low incomes. Generally, eligibility requirements for the program is set at the federal level. However, local states are still allowed to tailor some aspects of SNAP to suit their local situations.
Under federal rules, applicants must satisfy three tests to be eligible for SNAP. Specifically, these tests involve calculations of their gross monthly income, net income, and assets.
For the first category, applicants must have a gross monthly income that is or below 130% of the poverty line. For the second test, they must score a net monthly income that is less than or equal to the poverty line.
Lastly, for the third category, applicants must have assets that fall below $2,250, or $3,500 if living with an elderly or disabled member.
How to Participate?
To participate in the Food Stamp program, interested individuals must apply in the state where they currently live, as each one follows a different application form and process.
To do so, they can simply visit their local SNAP office or take a look at their state agency’s website to know more about how the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is being applied in their state.
However, in most cases, applications are done by visiting the SNAP office, completing a form, and waiting for an interview.
If the interview turns goes well, the qualified individual will then receive a confirmation via mail, along with an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. This can use to buy groceries at authorized food stores and retailers.
The Bottom Line
Is the pandemic crushing your food purchasing power? With the threat of the coronavirus still as big as ever, securing healthy yet affordable food comes as necessity.
Start with checking whether you’re eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and then check out your state agency’s website today.
