How To Apply For Food Stamps: Fighting Hunger In America

ACROSS AMERICA — Most industry leaders will tell you: Food banks and food pantries can only do so much when it comes to feeding the millions of people who experience hunger each year in the United States.

Once food banks reach that point, food stamps often step in.

More than 38 million Americans were recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits before the pandemic hit the United States, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Of families that receive benefits, about 9.5 million have children.

Nationwide, as many as 42 million Americans could experience food insecurity this year, according to Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization.

A year into the pandemic, Americans are still experiencing record joblessness — many for the first time, and some of whom have never relied on government assistance before.

Still, some Americans are hesitant to apply for food stamps because of an unfortunate and unwarranted stigma surrounding the program.

“The whole notion that you can use food stamps to live on filet mignon is a tired trope perhaps perpetuated by people who have never had to stretch the national average of $1.30 per person per meal, which is what food stamps will buy you,” according to a Poynter Institute briefing analyzing the subject.

If you or someone you know is experiencing hunger, here are a few things to know about SNAP and how to apply:

What Is SNAP?

SNAP is a federal program that helps millions of low-income Americans put food on the table each year. It is the country’s largest program working to fight hunger, according to Feeding America.

SNAP benefits are delivered monthly through electronic debit cards, which are then used to purchase groceries at one of the more than 238,000 retailers nationwide. Families can use food stamps to purchase foods such as bread and cereals, fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, and dairy products.

SNAP benefits cannot be used to buy any kind of alcohol, tobacco products, or non-food items such as household supplies, vitamins, and medicines.

In 2015, SNAP lifted 4.6 million Americans out of poverty, including 2 million children and 366,000 senior citizens, according to Feeding America.

The program also supports the U.S. economy. Research from Moody’s Analytics cited by Feeding America suggests that for every dollar spent by SNAP, $1.70 goes back into the U.S. economy.

Who Receives SNAP?

SNAP is targeted toward America’s most at-risk citizens, according to Feeding America. The program predominantly serves households with children, elderly or disabled members. Nearly half of all SNAP participants are children.

Federal eligibility for SNAP is limited to people whose gross incomes do not exceed 130 percent of the federal poverty level. This means a family of four can make no more than $2,633 a month to receive benefits.

While SNAP is designed to help those affected by hunger, its rules reflect “the importance of work and responsibility,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Learn more about SNAP’s rules and work requirements here.

The American Rescue Plan Bolstered SNAP

The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden earlier this month, included $12 billion in investments to food assistance programs.

The legislation extended an increase in household SNAP benefits through September. It also extended the Pandemic-EBT program, an emergency assistance program designed to replace the meals missed when kids are out of school for the summer.

The bill also invested more funds in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to modernize the program and temporarily increase the amount of fruit and vegetables participants can obtain.

How To Apply For SNAP

To apply for SNAP benefits, you can contact your local SNAP office. Many Feeding America member food banks also offer SNAP application assistance as a resource to help accurately fill out request forms.

To apply, you must meet certain requirements, including resource and income limits. Currently, households can only have $2,250 in countable resources (such as cash or money in a bank account) or $3,500 in countable resources if at least one member of the household is disabled or is age 60 or older.

If you can’t travel to or call your local SNAP office, or if you don’t have access to the internet, you may have another person act as an authorized representative by applying and being interviewed on your behalf.

Need Support Applying For SNAP?

Many members of the Feeding America network of food banks can offer SNAP application assistance by helping you accurately fill out request forms.

Find your local food bank to ask about application assistance.

Feeding America serves 200 member food banks that serve and supply 60,000 food pantries, kitchens, and meal programs around the country.

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Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2021, more than 42 million Americans won’t have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.