In this article, we will be talking about what is supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that was formally called the food stamps benefits program is a program that the federal government of the United States has used to assist a lot of Americans that earn a low income.
The SNAP benefits program is aimed at rendering assistance of food to millions of Americans in a fight to eliminate hunger and poverty. Although the amount of the SNAP benefit received by a household depends largely on the size of the household, their available income both earned and unearned and their total expenditure.
The SNAP act was to strengthen the economy of agriculture and to also provide enhanced levels of nutrition among low-income individuals or households. The name food stamp was changed to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the year 2008 on the month of October.
What is Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
What is Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program? The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is focused on feeding the nation of America, in other to make America free from hunger.
Once you are eligible for the SNAP benefits you will be issued an EBT card with which you can use to access your benefits whenever you want to make use of it. The EBT card is similar to the normal everyday debit card will use.
CHECKOUT >>> Snap Eligibility Calculator – Snap Eligibility | Apply for Food Stamps Online
The EBT card is loaded once every month with your benefits, with the card you can buy food and food-related items at grocery stores, some selected farmers market, and retail stores that accept the EBT card.
Once you are done buying you can pay with the RBT card at the POS, enter your secret pin and it will be deducted from your benefits.
The card will be continually loaded once every month, pending the certification period (the time the benefit is expected to last), which is usually 6 months for most households but can be extended depending on the situation. Moreover, you can always reapply when your benefits certification period is near.
What You Can Buy with Your Snap Benefits
There are rules you must adhere to in the using of your SNAP benefits to avoid getting into problems with the local authorities or worst be banned from using the SNAP benefits. Below are lists of things you can buy;
- Cereals and loaves of bread
- Dairy products
- Meat, fish, and poultry
- Nutritional energy drinks
- Fruits and vegetables
- Non-alcoholic beverages
- Snacks
- Bakery items
- Seeds and plants that produce food for the household to eat and other food and food-related items.
Things You Cannot Buy With Your SNAP Benefits
Now let’s take a look at some of the items you are not allowed to use your SNAP benefit to buy. They are listed below;
- Alcohol or any kind of liquor
- Cigarettes and other tobacco products
- Vitamins, medicine, and supplements
- Pet food
- Live animals (except for shellfish, animals slaughtered for pickup from the store, and fish removed from the water
- Hot prepared food for immediate consumption
- Household supplies (paper products, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, etc.) and non-food related items.
How to Apply For SNAP Benefits
Below are the different ways you can apply for the SNAP benefits;
- You can apply online, this is actually the easiest way to apply for the SNAP benefits
- You can apply in person, this is done by visiting any of the local offices near you
- You can place a call to verify if you can apply via a phone
- You can also print out the application form, fill it, and submit by mail or fax it.
The SNAP benefits program is a great start to help eliminate hunger and poverty in the lives of many Americans. To know more about the SNAP program kindly visit this link; https://www.ny.gov/services/apply-snap
CHECKOUT >>> WIC Benefits – Revitalizing Quality Nutrition Services (RQNS) in the WIC Program
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