SNAP helps people with lower incomes access healthy foods. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, provides nutritional support to low-income seniors, individuals with disabilities living on fixed incomes, and other low-income individuals and families.
SNAP is a federal program administered by the State of Florida Department of Children and Families, Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency (ESS), which is responsible for determining eligibility using federal guidelines, eligibility rules, and benefit levels. SNAP benefits are, for the most part, set at the federal level and are consistent across the country. Although states have the flexibility to adapt aspects of the program, individuals must pass all eligibility rules to receive food assistance benefits.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — Some Important Announcements
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program made some announcements of new benefits for hundreds of residents of the state of Texas, ensuring them access to nutritious food for themselves and their families. SNAP is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is administered by the state so that they can meet the specific needs of citizens. In Texas, the Health and Human Services Commission oversees benefit distribution.
When applicants complete their registration process, the benefits that are sent from SNAP are loaded onto an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card, or the Lone Star card, as it is known in the state of Texas. This card is used like a debit card and allows beneficiaries to purchase basic foods, such as fruits, vegetables, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Of course, this card cannot be used to purchase items such as tobacco, alcohol, or to pay existing debts.
What Can You Buy With Snap Benefits?
With funds loaded onto your Lone Star Card, beneficiaries can purchase various foods that help maintain a balanced diet and healthy eating, such as:
- Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables
- Protein sources such as meat, fish, and eggs
- Foods rich in carbohydrates such as bread, rice, and pasta
- Healthy fats like olive oil
However, SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase non-food items or hot prepared meals. This restriction ensures that benefits are spent on necessary and healthy foods.
Requirements to Be Eligible and Income Limits
SNAP is available to low-income households and unemployed individuals who meet certain criteria. Among them, people between 18 and 52 years old must comply with job search requirements and respect time limits to receive benefits. Pregnant women and individuals with disabilities are exempt from these requirements.
The monthly income limit for a one-person household is $2,005, while a five-person household can earn up to $4,832. Households with more than five members are allowed an additional income of $707 per person. Here, we detail relevant information:
Amounts That Households Can Receive According to Their Size
- Household size 1 – $292
- Household size 2 – $536
- Household size 3 – $768
- Household size 4 – $975
- Household size 5 – $1,158
- Household size 6 – $1,390
- Household size 7 – $1,536
- Household size 8 – $1,756
To decide when payments will be made, beneficiaries need to look at the last two digits of their eligibility determination group (EDG) number.