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What is the Food Stamp Program?
The Food Stamp Program is a nutrition
assistance program in which eligible low-income households can purchase
food at participating grocery stores with the use of Electronic Benefit
Transfer cards that look like a credit card or bank debit card. At the
Federal level, the program is administered by the United States Department
of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. In California, the Food
Stamp Program is supervised at the state level by the California Department
of Social Services and is administered at the local level by each County
Welfare Department.
Effective October 1, 2008, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the new name for the federal Food Stamp program. Although SNAP will be the national name, states may use a different name. California is currently working with community organizations and other stakeholders to develop a new name for the program. The new name reflects a focus on nutrition and putting healthy food within reach for low income households.
What does the name change mean for me - a food stamp recipient? Only the name of the Food Stamp program is changing. SNAP is not a new program. The name change will have no effect on current benefits. Recipients will continue to receive benefits as before and access them with the same electronic card at local authorized retailers and farmers markets.
How many Food Stamps can you receive?
Your food stamp allotment depends on the
size of your household. The maximum allotment for one person is $200 per
month. The maximum allotment for a four person family is $668. In California,
the average amount of benefits per person is approximately $97 per month,
and the average amount of benefits per household is $200.
How much money can you have and still get Food
Stamps?
Households may have no more than $2,000
in assets (bank account, cash, etc.); households with at least one person
age 60 or older can have $3,000 in assets. Your house (that you live in)
and personal belongings do not count. Your vehicles do not count. A household's
gross monthly income cannot exceed 130 percent of the Federal poverty
guidelines. For a household of three, this is $1,984. A household’s
net monthly income cannot exceed 100 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines.
For a household of three, this is $1,526.
What can you purchase with Food Stamps?
Food stamps can be used to buy any food
or food product that is produced for human consumption. The exception
to this is hot foods or lunch counter items prepared or heated in the
store. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, vitamins or medicines, and pet
food are also excluded.
Seeds and plants for use in home gardens to produce
food can also be purchased with food stamps. Food stamps cannot be used
to buy non-food items like soap, toilet paper or shampoo.
Can single people living alone receive Food Stamps?
Yes.
Being married and/or having children is not a requirement.
Can you receive aid from other programs and Still
receive Food Stamps?
Yes. In California,
60 percent of the food stamp households also receive cash aid from other
public assistance programs. There is a restriction that a household cannot
participate simultaneously in the Food Stamp Program and the Emergency
Food Assistance Program. Also, in California, Supplemental Security Income/State
Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) Program recipients do not qualify for
food stamps.
Can a homeless person receive Food Stamps?
Yes. A person must reside in the county
in which an application is filed. Residence in a permanent dwelling or
a fixed mailing address is not required.
Where can you apply for
Food Stamps?
In Contra Costa County you can apply at the Employment & Human Services
Department offices located at:
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