The federal food stamps program is called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. About 28 million people rely on receiving this federal support for obtaining food every month. The program targets low-income individuals and employs strict eligibility requirements to help ensure the money goes where it's needed most.
Though SNAP is a federal program, it is administered by the individual states. As of early 2009, 17 states had an online application form. Residents of Delaware, Nebraska , Texas, Florida, New Jersey, West Virginia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Virginia, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Washington, Kansas, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Maryland, Tennessee can click on the name of their state to access the online application for food stamps. In other states, check the homepage of the state government for application information.
Those who qualify for food stamps are issued an electronic card, like a debit or credit card, which is funded each month according to their benefits allotment. The average benefit of $89 per month is not usually enough to meet all of a household's nutritional needs, but it certainly can make a difference.
To check eligibility, consult the SNAP webpage, or call the hotline. Though the requirements change slightly from year to year, they always fall into two categories. The first deals with the types of people who are eligible to recieve food stamp assistance. To qualify, an applicant must be a US citizen or qualifying noncitizen, and a resident of the state. They must also have a Social Security Number and identification. Those who are able to work and are not disabled, and are between 18 and 50 years of age, are automatically limited to three months of food stamps in any given three-year period unless they are employed or participating in a workfare program at least 20 hours per week. Fugitive felons and those convicted of drug trafficking do not qualify at all.
The next requirements concern the applicant's wealth and income. Those households that qualify generally have no more than $2000 in total assets, including all bank accounts and owned property, but not counting the homestead itself and any cars worth less than $8500. The only exception to this requirement is if at least one person in the household is age 60 or older or disabled, in which case the household can have up to $3000 in total assets. In addition to the eligibility requirements for total assets, qualifying households must have monthly gross income (before taxes) less than or equal to 130% of the federal poverty level AND net income (after taxes) less than or equal to 100% of the federal poverty level. The federal poverty level depends on the number of individuals in the household, so check here for the applicable figures. For most states, the federal poverty line for a household of four in 2008 was $21,200 annually, or $1766 monthly.