What you need to know
The Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as the Food Stamp Program is build and funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In Alabama SNAP comes under the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) whose task is to efficiently run the program. It was founded with the goal of alleviating hunger problems in the low-income household of the state.
The Alabama Supplement Assistance Program works toward providing the citizens of Alabama a healthy and nutritious diet. Another goal of the program is to develop an environment where people are educated about food preparation and nutrition and its role towards leading a healthy life. The selected individuals are provided with EBT cards similar to an ATM card which they can use to buy food. The cards can only be used in local food stores that accept the EBT food stamps and are approved by the state. Besides that, there are certain items that cannot be bought using the EBT card like,
- Diapers for babies
- Hot food
- Food eaten in the stores ( exception can be made for elderly or disabled individuals)
- Any kind of liquor
- Cosmetic items
- Live animals
- Cigarettes and non-food items
- Medicines
The Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the Alabama Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), it is vital for the applicant to be a citizen of the state of Alabama. The state reviews your application based on your household size and your annual household income. Therefore, to be eligible the total gross income should be either equal or less than,
| Size Of The Household | Maximum Annual Income Level ($) |
| 1 | 16237 |
| 2 | 21983 |
| 3 | 27729 |
| 4 | 33475 |
| 5 | 39221 |
| 6 | 44967 |
| 7 | 50713 |
| 8 | 56459 |
If the size of the household is greater than 8 members, an addition of $5746 per member is considered. The information provided here can change at times therefore; a good step will be to contact your local managing agencies. It will help you understand the program policies and guidelines more accurately.
Families that are on other need-based public programs might also be considered for the Alabama Supplement Assistance Program.
SNAP Pre-Screening Tool
You can also check your eligibility for the Alabama Supplemental Assistance Program using the “SNAP pre-screening tool”. The tool tells you if you are eligible for the program based on your household gross income level per year. It does not, in any way implies that you will get the benefit but only gives you an idea based on the information you provide. The pre-screening test takes into account the following informations:
- Household income
- VA and social security payments
- . Utility bill
- Rent
- Mortgages
- Earnings of the individual or family members
- Child support expenses
- Medical expenses in case of the senior citizens
The amount of the benefit received by each household through the CT SNAP program might vary depending on the need. Families with much lower income will receive a large amount to properly afford a sufficient diet.
There Alabama State provides its citizens with several other benefit programs therefore; it is advisable to look up those programs that are offered in your region.
How To Apply
The applications for Alabama Food Assistance program (SNAP) are submitted to the County Department Human Resources (DHR) office where they are processed and applicants are shortlisted. You can visit the nearby DHR office in your county to get a better understanding of the process and submit the application.
Another easy way to file the application is through the online portal for that please visit the MyAlabama.gov website. You must first sign up for the online account on the portal, once you make an account you can then complete your application. This makes the whole application process less daunting while speeding it up.
Visit County Office Contact Lookup to find a food stamp office in your locality. In case of any queries related to the application process please visit the State of Alabama Department of Human Resources Food Stamp Application.
Alabama Elderly Simplified Application Project (AESAP)
If the minimum age of everyone in your household is 60 or above and not working you are eligible to apply for the Alabama Elderly Simplified Application Project (AESAP). It is designed to ease up the Food Assistance Program application process for the older citizens of the state. For further information about AESAP kindly call 1-800-438-295.
Other than that, you can also visit the MyAlabama Food and Nutrition Assistance or Alabama Food Assistance Division websites to improve your understanding of the program.
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