The United States government has come up with a way to help its citizens cope in very trying times. This birthed the program SNAP. Since the founding of the program, SNAP Benefits has helped citizens who have found it difficult to provide food and other services for themselves.
SNAP Benefits
The benefits of SNAP refer to all the services that SNAP has to offer to an individual and even family (household). There are several benefits a person can receive from SNAP. These benefits are mostly to help people buy food, and get health care and social service. Also, the basic need for a person’s survival.
For any individual or family to receive SNAP Benefits. That person or someone from that household must have to apply for SNAP. This is in the state where they currently reside via any SNAP local agency nearest to them. If all the requirements are met, an applicant can get SNAP benefits as quickly as seven days in the form of an EBT card. Let’s learn more about the program SNAP and all the terminologies associated with it.
About SNAP
SNAP is a program supported by the federal government of the United States of America. It means the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This program is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). This program was formerly known and is still commonly referred to as the Food Stamp Program.
Over the years. SNAP has grown to become the largest nutrition out of the fifteen administered programs by the Food and Nutrition Service. The program has been an avenue for employment as it has created jobs and also supported the economy of the great America.
SNAP Eligibility
SNAP eligibility is needed to gain the benefits of the program. For a person to gain eligibility, that person must first apply to SNAP. To apply for the benefits of the program. One has to go to any local agency centre closest to him or her in his or her current state of residence. Any applicant would have to meet his or her state’s requirements before he or she is considered fit to receive SNAP Benefits.
Stores eligibility is needed by stores and retailers so they can receive SNAP payments. There are criteria these stores have to meet to gain eligibility. Once the criteria are met by the stores, the stores can be considered for eligibility. If eligibility is granted, the stores can receive SNAP payment from the government for the purchases of goods made by Snap beneficiaries.
SNAP Monthly Income Limits
One of the many requirements that are expected of an applicant to meet is the maximum monthly income allowed by SNAP. If the monthly income made by applicants is above the maximum monthly income allowed. Then an applicant would be deemed unfit to benefit from the program.
The monthly income allowed is calculated by SNAP using the gross income of the monthly income made by the applicant. This income is calculated per the number of persons being applied for. In other words, the family size (it could be for an individual or a household). If the gross income is not up to a hundred and thirty per cent (130%) of the federal poverty line, then one can be considered for eligibility. Below is a breakdown of the maximum income limits per the size of the family.
- A family size of 1 has a maximum income limit of $1 354
- A family size of 2 has a maximum income limit of $1 832
- A family size of 3 has a maximum income limit of $2 311
- A family size of 4 has a maximum income limit of $2 790
- A family size of 5 has a maximum income limit of $3 269
- A family size of 6 has a maximum income limit of $3 748
- A family size of 7 has a maximum income limit of $4 227
- And for every additional person, there is an added $479
The maximum limits allowed per the size of the family vary for the different states in the country. The variation may be little or not.
Allotments from SNAP
Allotments from SNAP refer to the amount of money received from SNAP as the benefits. Just like the income made by an individual or family has a limit allowed. The amount of benefits received from SNAP is also limited and based on the size of the family. Below is the maximum amount of money that one can get from SNAP as benefits.
- A family size of 1 has a maximum income limit of $194
- A family size of 2 has a maximum income limit of $355
- A family size of 3 has a maximum income limit of $509
- A family size of 4 has a maximum income limit of $646
- A family size of 5 has a maximum income limit of $768
- A family size of 6 has a maximum income limit of $921
- A family size of 7 has a maximum income limit of $1 018
For every additional person to the family size, SNAP benefits give an additional allotment of $146. The allotment received as ‘SNAP benefits’ is sent to the applicant (benefactor) in an EBT card. This card contains the allotment given to the recipient of the SNAP Benefits.
EBT
The EBT card works exactly like a debit card would work. It allows the beneficiary of the SNAP allotment to make payment for goods or services bought. EBT simply means Electronic Benefit Transfer. The card is used to automatically authorize the transfer of funds of government benefits from a federal account to an eligible and authorized SNAP retailer or store.
After receiving an EBT card from SNAP. All a beneficiary needs to do is to shop for the approved items (foods) with the card.
SNAP Foods Allowed
Some foods are approved by SNAP. SNAP only permits the purchase of healthy foods, thereby promoting and encouraging beneficiaries to eat healthy, and save life. Most of the foods that SNAP approves purchases for are staple foods. Staple foods are those foods that make up a person’s diet. Staple foods are usually cooked/ prepared before consumption.
Some of the foods that a person can buy using an EBT card from SNAP are fruits, seeds and plants (that can produce food for the household to eat). Others include dairy products, vegetables, meat, poultry, cereals, breads, fish, non-alcoholic beverages and snack foods.
However, there are some foods. And products that a beneficiary is not permitted to purchase using an EBT card from SNAP. These foods include liquor, wine, cigarettes, beer, medicines, vitamins, and supplements. Others include tobacco, live animals, pet food, paper products, household supplies, and alcohol.
You also cannot get some items with your EBT card. These items are buying lottery tickets, paying bills, buying firearms or any form of ammunition, gambling, and getting a tattoo. Or getting obscene items like pornographic magazines.
Benefits Programs
Under SNAP, there are some sub-programs that one can opt for to best suit the applicant’s needs. These programs include;
- SNAP Food Benefit:
- TANF Cash Help
- Health Care
- Support Services
- WIC (Women, Infants, and Children.)
- Food Benefits
These benefit sub-programs meet different purposes.
CHECK THESE OUT:
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