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If you’ve experienced a job loss, furlough, or a reduction in income due to the ongoing pandemic, you may have already applied for unemployment benefits or sought financial relief through the Paycheck Protection Program. However, it’s possible you haven’t yet explored applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or “SNAP”—and depending on factors like your income, household size, and assets, you may be eligible.
Here’s what you should understand about the program.
SNAP offers assistance to individuals and families in need by providing monthly benefits that can be used for eligible food purchases. Nowadays, these benefits are typically delivered through reloadable debit cards, a shift from the original method of providing physical food stamps.
Generally, SNAP benefits can be used to purchase most items you would typically consider “groceries,” including processed and snack foods; however, they cannot be used for prepared or hot meals, personal care products, household supplies, pet food, vitamins, alcohol, or tobacco.
Each state has its own set of eligibility requirements for SNAP, so to determine if you qualify, you will need to visit the SNAP State Directory of Resources, locate your state, and review local regulations. In many instances, eligibility is determined by both your current income and total assets—so if you’re not earning much right now but have substantial savings, you might not qualify for assistance.
I currently reside in Iowa, where the eligibility criteria are as follows:
Households with a gross monthly income of less than $150 and assets, such as cash or bank accounts, totaling $100 or less;
or
Households with rent, mortgage, and utility costs exceeding the household’s gross monthly income and assets;
or
Households with a migrant
or
seasonal farm worker and assets of $100 or less, whose income is fluctuating or intermittent
Some states require applicants (especially those without children) to either be employed or actively seeking work before they can receive food assistance. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many states have relaxed or waived these requirements. For instance, Washington State mandates that “able-bodied adults without dependents” must fulfill work or volunteer obligations before receiving benefits, but has suspended penalties for non-compliance during March, April, and May 2020.
The CARES Act, also known as the coronavirus relief legislation that introduced expanded unemployment benefits and $1,200 stimulus checks, also allocates additional SNAP funding to states. Many states have opted to use this extra funding to provide the maximum allowable benefit to all eligible households, at least through April. If your household qualifies for food assistance, be sure to submit your application as soon as possible to maximize both supplemental food aid and any other benefits available to you.
One last thing: While I’ve previously relied on food assistance, it has been a long time since I’ve used an EBT card at the grocery store, so I can’t speak to how easy or difficult the SNAP application process may be today. If you have any insights about the current process, tips for financially struggling households, or any positive news regarding increased SNAP benefits during the pandemic, please share in the comments.
