The Food Stamp Program

The Food Stamp Program is a federal nutrition program.  The Program’s laws and regulations are based on the Food Stamp Act passed by Congress in 1977.  In 1974 Congress required all States to offer food stamps (FS) to low-income households.  The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the Food Stamp Program. 

The intent of the Program is to help improve the health and well being of low-income households and individuals by providing them a means to meet their nutritional needs.  Contrary to popular belief, food stamps are not meant to meet all of the food needs of a household or an individual, but to supplement their nutritional needs.  People do not need to be destitute to qualify for food stamps.

In Oregon, the Program is administered by the Department of Human Services (DHS) Children, Adults and Families (CAF) Division. The eligibility determination and issuance of benefits are provided through DHS and AAA offices across the state.

In August 2007, about 440,000 Oregonians in 227,000 households received food stamps each month.  The average monthly benefit was about $176 per household.  The federal government pays the cost of benefits, about $40 million a month, and divides the cost of administering the program with the state.

In Oregon, Food Stamp benefits are distributed through the state’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system, which allows recipients to obtain their benefits by using an “Oregon Trail Card” at the grocery store card-scanning devices.

Information for recipients and applicants

How do I know if I am eligible for food stamps?

To find out if you are eligible for food stamps, please use our Food Stamp Benefit Calculator to get an idea about the amount of food stamp benefits you may be eligible for.

How do I apply for food stamps?

You can apply for foodstamps by downloading an application and instructions below.  You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view these PDF files. You can download the free software at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

For questions about how or where to apply for food stamps Contact Oregon SafeNet, 1-800-723-3638

These application forms should be printed and filled out by hand and then sent to your local DHS Self-sufficiency office.

We also have fillable food stamp application forms (See the instructions for using fillable forms.)

• English (PDF fillable, 1.2 MB)
• Spanish (PDF fillable, 854 KB)
• There are no fillable versions of the Russian or Vietnamese applications at this time.

Where do I send the application?  Whom should I contact if I have questions?

• Families and single adults without a disability contact your local DHS self-sufficiency office.
  
• Seniors and people with disabilities contact a Seniors & People with Disabilities or Area Agencies on Aging office
  
• For more information on how and where to apply for food stamps, you can call Oregon SafeNet, 1-800-723-3638.

What can I buy with food stamps?

You can find an explanation of the types of food items you can buy with your EBT card on the USDA Food and Nutrition Services Web site.

How can I make the most of my food stamps?

For information about making good use of your food money see the Making the Most of Your Food Stamp Benefits brochure.

Also see: Food Stamp Nutrition Education

How can I find out the balance on my Oregon Trail card?

There are two ways to find out how much money is in your Food Stamp or cash account.

• You can look at your last store or ATM receipt (also see How to Use Your Oregon Trail Card pages 14 and 15)
• You can call customer service at 1-888-997-4447

Information for retailers

I am a small business owner and I want to know if my store can be certified to accept food stamps.

Retailers who want to accept food stamps must contact the USDA Food and Nutrition Service for certification.  Please call 1-877-823-4369 or visit their Web site for more information.

What items can  and can't be bought with food stamp benefits?

You can find answers to this and other questions from the USDA Food and Nutrition Services Web site

Other resources

Emergency food
The Oregon Food Bank distributes emergency food boxes to an estimated 780,000 people who are hungry in Oregon and Clark County, Wash.

Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
WIC is a federally funded special supplemental nutrition program that serves pregnant women, breastfeeding women with children under 12 months of age, non-breastfeeding women with children under 6 months of age and infants and children under 5 years of age. Fathers, grandparents, foster parents or other guardians may apply for WIC for their children.

Home-delivered meals
The Meals on Wheels program provides home-delivered meals to people in need.

Oregon Housing & Community Services
The OHCS assists with food programs mostly operated by volunteers. Food is acquired by private donations and the programs are coordinated through regional coordinating agencies.

Oregon Helps
The Oregon Helps Web site can help you find out if you might be eligible for several programs that serve families and children.

Publications and Data

You can get more information about food stamps from the following brochures.

• How to Use Your Oregon Trail Card  -- English | Spanish | Russian | Vietnamese
  
  
• Your Guide to the Food Stamp Program -- English | Spanish | Russian | Vietnamese

Food Stamp caseload comparison - to prior months by branch and Service Delivery Area.