What Do You Need To Know?
The Idaho Food Stamp Program makes healthy diet accessible to people from poor households and also educate them about food preparation and nutrition. This helps them improve their quality of life and maintain a better and healthy lifestyle. The program assists approximately 85,000 individuals and about 34,000 families in the state of Idaho each year. The selected candidates are provided with electronic cards (Electronic Benefits Transfer) which they can use to buy food at authorized retailers.
The U.S Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Administers the Idaho Food Stamp Program (SNAP) to help alleviate hunger problems in the state. It helps the qualified members of the program to make more informed decisions about nutrition. To properly execute its operations, FNS takes the help of state agencies, nutrition educators and neighborhood-based organizations.
The acceptable purchases in this program are the food and plants and seeds required to grow food.
Certain food items cannot be bought through this program which are,
- Non-food items
- Food for pets
- Alcoholic beverages
- Cigarettes
- Vitamins
- Medicine
- Food that you will consume in the store
- Hot foods
Are You Eligible?
The applicant needs to meet the following requirements to be able to apply for the Idaho Food Stamp program
- The candidate has to be a permanent resident of Idaho to be eligible for the program
- The candidate must have a US citizenship or a legal alien to receive the Food Stamp program’s benefits.
- The candidate must have a social security number (SSN)
- The candidate must have a job (if the age lies between the age of 21-59 and doesn’t have kind of disability)
- They must have a current bank balance under $2,000
- They must have a current bank balance under $3,001 and share the household with either
- A person aged 60 and above, or
- A person with a disability.
Other important elements are considered while evaluating the eligibility of the candidate for the Food Assistance Program include
- Number of members in the household
- Total gross income of the household
The amount of the maximum gross income level before taxes should be equal or less than,
| Size Of Household | Maximum Annual Income Level ($) |
| 1 | 16237 |
| 2 | 21983 |
| 3 | 27729 |
| 4 | 33475 |
| 5 | 39221 |
| 6 | 44967 |
| 7 | 50713 |
| 8 | 56459 |
In case, the household size is greater than eight members, an additional amount of $5746 is considered per member. The amount of annual income level might change time to time depending on the changes in laws and regulations. Therefore, you should keep in touch with your local managing agencies to get recent information regarding the Idaho Food Stamp program.
You can also visit the official Idaho SNAP website to check if you qualify for the program. The applicant you will be asked to mention certain information including
- Household income
- VA and social security payments
- Utility bill
- Child support expenses
- Day-care expenses
- Medical bills, if you are older than 60, or disabled
- Other benefit programs you have applied to
- Any other payments
How To Apply?
There are multiple ways to apply for the Idaho Food Stamp Program. It is important to check your eligibility for the program before applying. The different methods you can use to apply for the program are,
- Apply Online
You can make your application online by visiting Apply for Assistance where you will be provided with all the necessary information. This website provides easy and fast online services to the citizens of Idaho. By clicking on the website you will be directed to the Department of Agriculture page. Here you can find the application form and apply for the program. It is important to fill the application as accurately and truthfully as possible because providing false information can lead you to penalties. Once the application is submitted you cannot change it hence it is advisable to be careful while filling out the application form.
Once you have filled out the application form you can return it to food stamp office either by email, mail or fax.
- Apply through the local office
To apply for the Idaho Food Stamp Program (SNAP) in person, you can visit the nearby SNAP office in your community. The SNAP representative in the office will provide you with the application form and any other information about the program. Once you complete the application you can then submit it along with the other required documents.
- Apply via phone
You can also call the Health and Welfare office in your community to request an application form for the Idaho Food Stamp program.
For Further Information
In case of queries or any extra data required, information about the Idaho Food Stamp program is available on the official SNAP website at
http://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/FoodCashAssistance/FoodStamps/tabid/90/default.aspx
The website provides information regarding the program policies and guidelines to applicants to help them get a better understating of the Idaho Food Stamp program. Furthermore, you can take assistance from the Health and Welfare office to locate a SNAP office in your county. This makes the applying process very flexible for the applicants who can use any of the above-mentioned methods to apply for the Idaho Food Stamp program.