Program Description
The Food Stamp Program provides monthly benefits that help low-income households buy the food they need for good health. The goal of the program is to promote the general welfare and to safeguard the health and well being of the population through the issuance of benefits to all eligible households. For most households, food stamps account for only a portion of their food budgets; they must also use their own funds to buy food sufficient to last throughout the month.
Social Services Analysts in the parish offices are responsible for the determination of eligibility and the certification of eligible households for food stamps. Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) performs the issuance of food stamp benefits to eligible households. The employment and training activities, known as the Louisiana Job Employment Training (LaJET) Program, are accomplished through the cooperative efforts of the Food Stamp Program, the OFS parish offices, local governing authorities in the State and the Louisiana Department of Labor. The LaJET Program, in parishes where available, is a participant-centered effort to provide employment services to selected food stamp recipients.
The USDA-Food and Nutrition Service base the amount of food stamp benefits that a household is eligible to receive on the Thrifty Food Plan amounts that are established. They are current estimates of the actual costs for providing a household with nutritious but inexpensive meals. These are the maximum amounts that a household with zero net monthly income can receive in food stamp benefits each month. If a household meets all eligibility requirements, the amount of their food stamp benefits is dependent on both the number of persons in the household and the net monthly income amount remaining after all allowable deductions have been subtracted.
General Program Requirements
In order to qualify for this benefit program, you must be a resident of the State of Louisiana and fall into one of two groups: (1) those with a current bank balance (savings and checking combined) under $2,001, or (2) those with a current bank balance (savings and checking combined) under $3,001 who share their household with a person or persons age 60 and over, or with a person with a disability (a child, your spouse, a parent, or yourself). For either group, you must also have an annual household income of less than $13,284 if one person lives in the household; $17,808 if two people live in the household; $22,332 if three people live in the household; $26,856 if four people live in the household; $31,380, if five people live in the household; $35,904 if six people live in the household; $40,428 if seven people live in the household; or $44,952 if more than seven people live in the household.
Application Process
For more information, see the Program Contact Information below.
Program Contact Information
To view the Thrifty Food Plan amounts and read more about the
program's eligibility requirements, visit our Web site at:
http://www.dss.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder%26tmp=home%26nid=34%26p...
To download an application for benefits, click here:
http://www.dss.state.la.us/assets/docs/searchable/OFS/KinshipCare/4APP_rev1...
To download instructions for completing the application, click
here:
http://www.dss.state.la.us/assets/docs/searchable/OFS/Overview/Food%20Stamp...
Applications must be mailed to the parish Office of Family Support.
For addresses, click here:
http://www.dss.state.la.us/
Managing Agency
Louisiana
http://www.louisiana.gov
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