What You Need To Know
Low-income households can suffer from the absence of various necessities. To fulfill their nutritional needs, the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been set up. Originally labeled as the Food Stamp Program, the United States Department of Agriculture established this program for food benefits. This allows families to be provided with a healthy diet as well as education on food preparation. Therefore, SNAP helps them to buy eligible food in authorized retail food stores.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has been helpful in the domestic hunger safety net. It is administered by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) which carries out various collaborations. These collaborations are down with state agencies, nutrition educators, neighborhood and faith-based organizations. These make sure that the eligible families receive proper nutrition assistance. This would help them to make informed decisions especially if they wish to apply for SNAP and enjoy its benefits.
The amount of people that SNAP is currently catering to amounts of $1.8 Million. These include children, older adults, people with disabilities and able-bodied adults without dependents. These benefits are places in an electronic account through a process known as Electronic Benefits Transfer. The qualified family receives an EBT Access card which allows them to make the necessary withdrawals for their food needs. There is a specific amount placed in the card which can be used by the family, therefore t is not to be treated like a credit card. Therefore, to check the balance of your SNAP benefits, the last receipt must be kept. You can also call the available hotline, 1-888-EBT-PENN. They have even set up an online portal where you can view your transaction history and learn about EBT.
Are You Eligible?
The first and foremost requirement for the benefits program is that you must be a resident of Pennsylvania. The annual household income then comes into play. The amount before taxes is considered and therefore, it must be less than or equal to:
| Size of Household | Maximum Annual Income Level ($) |
| 1 | 16,237 |
| 2 | 21,983 |
| 3 | 27,729 |
| 4 | 33,475 |
| 5 | 39,221 |
| 6 | 44,967 |
| 7 | 50,713 |
| 8 | 56,459 |
In case the household size is greater than eight, then for each additional person, an amount of $5,746 is added. It is a good step to contact your managing agency for the recent guidelines. That will avoid any problems from taking place.
There is an online tool available to check your eligibility for the SNAP benefits. Making use of it may prove helpful as well. Certain local criteria must be passed for qualification as well. Therefore, it is recommended that steps be taken by the person to contact their community program. This would allow them to gain the correct information and guidance they require.
How To Apply
There are two specific ways once can go through the process of SNAP in Pennsylvania. If you believe you are eligible for this benefit program, you can pursue any option that suits you:
- The application portal for this process is available online. Therefore it can easily be accessed by the residents of Pennsylvania if they believe they require these benefits. In case further information is required concerning the application, there is also a page available online. It outlines the Pennsylvania Application for Benefits, thus handling any confusion that the person may have.
- In-person, the application process can also be carried out. The application can be downloaded through appropriate sites. It can be filled and then give to the county assistance office. This document is present in both English and the Spanish version to cater to the majority of the population.
To apply you must be one of the following:
- The head of the household
- The spouse of the head of the household
- Any other responsible household member
- A designated authorized representative
To make sure that households with residents above 60 or with disabilities are catered to as well, there’s an option. They can make use of the simple SNAP application. It can help them in purchases and preparations of food.
The maximum benefits that are provided depend on the family size of a household. The latest information has been given below:
| Size of Household | Maximum Benefits ($) |
| 1 | 192 |
| 2 | 353 |
| 3 | 505 |
| 4 | 642 |
| 5 | 762 |
| 6 | 914 |
| 7 | 1,011 |
| 8 | 1,155 |
For Further Information
There is also a PA SNAP page available for further details. It can easily be accessed by the public for any required information. Moreover, a service center has been set up in various parts of the state which is why the county assistance office must be reached out to. Its contact information is easily found. If you wish to get in contact with your office, a contact us page outlines all the necessary details we need.