What You Need To Know
Food Stamp programs have been set up throughout the country. A federally-funded program, it has been renamed as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This benefits program has been administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Its objective is to provide food benefits, access to a healthy diet and nutritional education to low-income households. In Arizona, SNAP is more commonly known as Arizona Nutrition Assistance Program. Qualified individuals enjoy the benefits of this program through the help of an Electronic Benefit Transfer card (EBT). It is similar to a credit card and can be used as one. However, the transactions that can take place with this EBT card are only purchases from authorized retailers.
SNAP has been set up to eliminate domestic hunger in the United States. It achieves this through the collaboration of Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) with local entities. This includes state agencies, nutrition educators, and neighborhood or faith-based organizations. These help the program to be operated smoothly as it ensures that nutrition assistance is provided. With such assistance, the residents of Arizona can make informed decisions concerning their eligibility and application.
Are You Eligible?
It is a first and foremost requirement of the program that the applicant is a resident of the state of Arizona. This is because the program has been set up to cater to the state residents who have low-income.
The low-income aspect of the program brings into consideration the earning of the interested individual. Therefore, the annual household income before any taxes is expected to be equal to or less than the listed figures:
| Size Of The Household | Maximum Annual Income Level ($) |
| 1 | 16,237 |
| 2 | 21,983 |
| 3 | 27,729 |
| 4 | 33,475 |
| 5 | 39,221 |
| 6 | 44,967 |
| 7 | 50,713 |
| 8 | 56,459 |
An additional amount of $5,746 is added for each additional person if the household has more than eight members. It is recommended that a person stays in touch with their managing agency. This can help them regarding their interest in SNAP and provide them with the most accurate guidelines.
A SNAP pre-screening tool can also be found on online portals. This tool helps to determine the eligibility of the interested individual. It is not the final application and should not be treated as such. If a person has been deemed ineligible by the tool and still wishes to apply, they should. The tool does not deliver the final verdict therefore; it is worth a try.
There are other programs set up to offer similar services to these families. It is recommended that people apply as they may qualify under a local criterion. Local community offices or establishments can prove helpful in this regard as they will provide accurate information and guidelines. An example is that in Arizona, people can apply for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).
How To Apply?
An online portal has been set up on Health-e-Arizona Plus. This allows the residents of Arizona to easily apply for the program from the comfort of their home. They do not have to necessarily go anywhere to start their application process.
There are certain documents required when an individual decides to apply for the Nutrition Assistance Program. Among these, the application can be completed with:
- Proof of citizenship
- Proof of identity
- Alien Registration cards.
- Social Security numbers
- Proof of relationship i.e. birth certificates.
- Personal details of landlord or neighbor.
- Proof of residence
- Proof of income
- Proof of employment ending
- A complete statement of bank or credit union
- Proof of savings bonds, securities, retirement plans, and life insurance.
- Proof of rent and utility bills.
- Proof of childcare expenses
- Proof of all medical expenses
The application with attached forms will be reviewed by the authority in charge. They will set up an interview via phone or in person. At this appointment, the person would be expected to bring certain verifications with him as well. This will help to determine your eligibility. The waiting duration for this application process can range from seven to thirty days. The former being the case for emergency benefits.
For Further Information?
In case, an individual wish to gain more in-depth information about the Arizona Nutrition Assistance Program, they have sources available. The Arizona Nutrition Assistance Information page is an example of this. It has outlined the information required by the person to make their decision about this program. They can determine their eligibility as well as get an overview of the services they can be allotted through qualification.
SNAP’s Contact Us page is also available that lists the addresses of local SNAP offices in your area. It makes it possible for interested individuals to easily gain the assistance they require.