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Food Stamps And Other Nutrition ProgramsSSA Publication No. 05-10100, April 2008, |
Federal, state and local governments provide many programs designed to help meet the nutritional needs of people with low incomes and their families. Although Social Security does not manage any of these programs, we can refer you to the agencies that do. We have a special working relationship with social service agencies that run the food stamp program. In some cases, we can even take a food stamp application. |
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Can you get food stamps?To get food stamps, you and the other people in your household must meet certain conditions. (Your household includes everyone who buys and prepares food together.) Everyone who is applying in your household must have or apply for a Social Security number and be either a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, an American Indian born in Canada or Mexico or have status as a qualified alien. The following qualified aliens are eligible for food stamps without a waiting period:
The following qualified aliens are eligible if they have lived in the U.S. for five years from date of entry or if they have a sufficient work history (40 work credits) to qualify:
If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments in California, you are not eligible for food stamps because the state includes extra money in the amount it adds to the federal SSI payment. |
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WorkMost able-bodied people between the ages of 18 and 60 must register for work to qualify for food stamps. Many people may be required to participate in an employment or training program. Some college students also may be eligible. |
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Resource limitsGenerally, your household cannot have more than $2,000 in resources (things you own). But, if your household includes a disabled person or a person age 60 or older, the limit is $3,000. The resources of a person who is getting SSI or benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program are not counted for food stamp purposes either. Resources include cash, bank accounts and other property. Not all resources count. For example, your home and the land it is on do not count for food stamp eligibility. A car or truck counts differently, depending on how it is used. Most states now use TANF rules in place of food stamp vehicle rules if the TANF rules are more beneficial to the food stamp household. Some states have also chosen to exclude certain resources excluded by TANF or Medicaid. Most households also must meet an income limit. Certain things do not count and can be subtracted from your income. Your household may qualify for other income exclusions if it includes someone who is age 60 or older or disabled. The income limits vary by household size and may change each year. |
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What amount of food stamps can you get?If your household is eligible, the amount of food stamps you get depends on your monthly household income and expenses for such things as:
Medical expenses of more than $35 a month for elderly and disabled people are deducted from your household income if they are not paid for by another party such as Medicaid, Medicare or an insurance company. You can also find out how much you may be able to get online through the Pre-Screening Tool at www.foodstamps-step1.usda.gov . |
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How to apply for food stampsFood stamp applications are available at any Social Security office. If you and everyone in your household are applying for or already getting SSI payments, any Social Security office will help you fill out the food stamp application and send it to the food stamp office for you. All others must take or send their food stamp application to the local food stamp office or to any Social Security office where a food stamp representative works. When you are interviewed, you also should have:
You should find out if you are eligible within 30 days. Households eligible for expedited service get benefits within seven days. If you do not hear within 30 days, call or visit the food stamp office. |
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Homeless people and food stampsIf you are homeless you can still get food stamps even if you do not have an address, a place to stay or a place to cook meals. You are considered homeless if you do not have a fixed regular nighttime residence or your primary nighttime residence is a temporary accommodation in:
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Other nutrition programs availableThe food stamp program is just one of many nutrition programs available. The federal government and many state and local government agencies sponsor numerous programs that provide people with information about, and access to, a more nutritious diet. Many of these programs also are set up to improve the health and eating habits of children. Here are two examples: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
Contact your state or local health department for more information about this program. Nutrition Services Incentive Program (NSIP)
For more information about this program, contact your local Office on Aging or ask your local Social Security office.
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More food programsThere are other food programs administered by the Department of Agriculture. Several food distribution programs give commodities to needy households or to organizations that provide meal service to low-income people, including soup kitchens, churches and homeless shelters. The Child and Adult Care Food Program offers meals and snacks to children in eligible day care centers, family day care homes and other care centers, as well as to functionally impaired adults and elderly people in day care situations. The School Lunch and Breakfast Programs offer meals at schools to children. Low-income children get these meals free or at a reduced price, while other children have access to reasonably priced meals. The Summer Food Service Program offers free meals and snacks to needy children during the months when school is not in session. The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program provides low-income seniors (individuals who are at least 60 years old) with coupons during the harvest season that can be exchanged for eligible foods at farmers’ markets, roadside stands and community supported agriculture programs. For more information about these programs contact your local social services, health, agriculture, aging office or school. |
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Contacting Social SecurityOur website is a valuable resource for information about all of Social Security’s programs. There are a number of things you can do online. In addition to using our website, you can call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. We can answer specific questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. We can provide information by automated phone service 24 hours a day. (You can use our automated response system to tell us a new address or request a replacement Medicare card.) If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778. We treat all calls confidentially. We also want to make sure you receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a second Social Security representative monitor some telephone calls.
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