The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP benefits), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, provides nutritional support to low-income seniors, people with disabilities living on fixed incomes, and other low-income individuals and families.
SNAP is a federal program that is administered by the Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency (ESS) of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), which is responsible for determining eligibility using the federal guidelines, the eligibility rules and SNAP benefit levels are set, for the most part, at the federal level and are consistent throughout the country, although states have flexibility to adapt aspects of the program, people must pass all the eligibility rules to receive food assistance benefits.
However, individuals are not eligible for SNAP if:
- If they have convictions for drug trafficking
- They are fleeing an arrest warrant for a felony
- Intentionally breaking the rules SNAP
- You are not a citizen without a qualified status, or
- Is a student attending an institution of higher education, at least part-time, in some circumstances.
What Can You Do With SNAP Benefits?
Households with SNAP benefits can use food assistance benefits to purchase bread, cereals, fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, poultry, dairy, and plants and seeds to grow food for family consumption.
They cannot be used for the purchase of non-food items such as pet food, soaps, paper products, household items, toiletries, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, vitamins, medicines, food to eat in the store or hot food.
What Is the Fastest Way to Get SNAP Benefits in Florida?
The Florida Department of Children and Families states that you can apply for assistance by providing only your name, address and signing your application, however, they encourage people to answer as many questions as they can and to sign your application as soon as possible. This will allow them to help you more quickly.
The process starts with the date the Department receives your signed application. It can take from 7 to 30 days to process your food assistance application.
In expedited cases, they can get food assistance benefits within seven days. Your answers on the application will decide if your household meets the criteria for expedited food assistance.
Homes in urgent need should have:
- Monthly gross income less than $150 and liquid assets less than $150;
- Monthly gross income plus liquid assets less than home rent or mortgage plus utility costs; or,
- be an indigent migrant or a seasonal agricultural worker with liquid assets of less than $100.
Know in Detail What Are the Benefits
SNAP benefits is the largest nutrition assistance program, which provides benefits to low-income individuals and families through an electronic benefit transfer card, this card works like a debit card and allows you to buy eligible food at certain authorized retail stores, to be eligible, you must live in the state where you are applying and meet certain bank balance limits, if you want to know more or submit an application, you can call the SNAP line of your state at 1-800-221-5689.