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Document Historic, Arcliive Do assume not content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. w..ited States Facts About the Department of Agriculture Food Stamp Program Program Aid Number 1340 Ity program" fou bell icriminatic ur eff© . ip Program because of your race, color, sex, handicap, religion, or poiiticai r, i!eiy to: Administrator, Food and Nutrition S& , Center Dr., Alexandria, Va. 22302. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE U.S. FOODCOUPONS Received By: Cf''^^ ^\ Indexing Brartcli Oi-vt This is an equal opportunity program. If you believe that you have been the victim of discrimination in your efforts to partici* pate in the Food Stamp Program because of your race, color, national origin, age, sex, handicap, religion, or political beliefs, write immediately to: Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service, 3101 Park Center Dr., Alexandria, Va. 22302. This is an equal opportunity program. Ifyou believe you have been discriminated against by the Food Stamp Program because ofage, sex, color, race, disability, religious creed, national origin or political beliefs, write immediately to the Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302. Revised September 1992 Facts About the Food Stamp Program The Food Stamp Program helps low-income Applying for Food Stamps peoplebuythefoodtheyneedforgoodhealth. The food stamp office will give you an You may be able to get food stamps ifyou: application form on the same day you ask work for low wages, for one. You may ask for it in person, over are unemployed or work part time, the phone, or by mail; or someone else receive welfare or other assistance may get one for payments, you. are elderly or disabled and live on a small income, or The office will are homeless. accept the form on the same day State public assistance agencies run the you turn it in, program through their local offices. The even if they basic rules are the same everywhere. cannot interview you on The amount of food stamps you can get is that day. based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Thrifty Food Plan, which is Fill in your an estimate of how much it costs to give name, address, your household nutritious, low-cost meals. telephone number, and as much This estimate is changed every year to other information as you can on the form, keep pace with food prices. and sign it. Give or send the form to the office as soon as possible. A food stamp In the Food Stamp Program, a household worker can help you fill out the rest ofthe is a group ofpeople who live together and form during your interview. buy food and prepare meals together for all people in the group. Ifyour household YOU MUST ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS passes the program's eligibility tests, the COMPLETELYAND HONESTLY. amount of food stamps you get will depend IF YOU FAIL TO DO SO, YOU CAN BE on the number of people in your house- REMOVED FROM THE PROGRAM, hold and on how much monthly income is FINED, PUT IN PRISON, OR ALL left after certain amounts (deductions) are THREE. subtracted. Ifyou qualify for food stamps, you will get For most households, food stamps are only them no later than 30 days from the date part of their food budgets; they must spend the office got your application. some oftheir own cash along with their food stamps in order to buy enough food Ifyour household has little or no money for a month. and needs help right away, let the food — stamp office know you may be able to get For more information, contact your local food stamps within 5 days. Fill in all of the food stamp office. It is probably listed first page ofthe application so a worker under "Social Services Department" or can see ifyou qualify for faster service. "Food Stamps" in the State or local government pages ofthe telephone direc- Ifyou are applying for public assistance tory. such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), you may apply for food Most interviews are held at the food stamp stamps at the same time in the welfare office. Ifno one in your household can gc office. to the office for an interview, an adult friend or relative who knows your situa- Ifyou and everyone you live with are tion may go to be interviewed for you. applying for or getting Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, you may Ifyou are age 60 or older or disabled and apply for food stamps in your Social you cannot find someone to go to the food Security district office, except in "SSI stamp office for you, let the office know. A cash-out" States (where people who worker will arrange to interview you at receive SSI benefits get cash instead of home or by telephone. Other people who food stamps). cannot get to the office and who have no one to go for them may be given a home or In some locations, households that are telephone interview too. applying for general assistance (State or local welfare programs) can apply for food Meeting Eligibility Rules and stamps at the same time. Providing Proof That You Are Eligible Other households must apply for food stamps through their local food stamp Listed below are some ofthe basic rules and the kinds ofproofyou may need office. during your interview. Your case may be Having an Interview With a completed faster ifyou bring the proof Food Stamp Worker with you to the interview. After you have turned in your application, a worker will hold a private interview with you or another member ofyour household. At the interview, the worker will explain the program rules and help you complete any parts ofthe application that you have not filled out. The worker will also ask you for proof of certain information you have given. Ask the worker to explain anything you don't understand. It's important that you understand the rules. Ifyou have trouble getting papers (docu- Social Security ments) or information you need, the Numbers: You worker will help you. Ifthe papers are not will have to easy to get, you may give the name of provide a Social someone, such as your employer, who can Security num- confirm your statements. ber for every household Citizenship and Alien Status: U.S. citi- member, zens, legally permanent aliens, and certain including chil- other legal aliens may qualify. If members dren. Ifany household member ofyour household are not U.S. citizens, does not have a Social Security number, you will have to provide proof oftheir alien he or she will have to apply for one. Ifyou status from the Immigration and Natural- are otherwise eligible for food stamps, you ization Service. Members whose citizen- can get them for a short time while you ship is in question cannot get food stamps are waiting for your Social Security until proof is obtained that they are U.S. number. citizens or members of one of the alien groups that can get food stamps. Work Rules: With certain exceptions, able-bodied people between 16 and 60 Even ifsome members ofyour household years of age must register for work, accept do not meet the citizenship or alien an offer of suitable work, and take part in requirements, those who do may be able to an employment and training program as get food stamps. required by their State's food stamp agency. students: Some students enrolled in - a program under Section 236 of college and some other educational the Trade Act of 1974, programs qualify for food stamps. Able- - an employment and training bodied students ages 18 through 49 who program under the Food Stamp are enrolled in college at least halftime Act, or may be able to get food stamps if otherwise - an employment and training eligible ifthey: program operated by a State or local government. AFDC get benefits; participate in the JOBS Program Also, a single parent enrolled full time in under the AFDC Program; college and taking care ofa dependent take part in a State or federally household member under the age of 12 financed work study program; can get food stamps if otherwise eligible. work at least 20 hours a week; are taking care ofa dependent Persons on Strike: Households with a household member under the age of person who is on strike because ofa labor 6; dispute are not eligible unless they were are taking care ofa dependent eligible the day before the strike and household member over the age of 5 continue to be eligible at the time of but under age 12 and do not have application. Eligible households cannot adequate child care to enable them to get more food stamps because the striking attend school and work a minimum member gets less income. of20 hours, or take part in a State or federally-financed work study pro- Resources: Under food stamp rules, gram; or — resources such as bank accounts, cash, are assigned to or placed in a college real estate, personal property, vehicles, and or certain other schools through: — so forth are considered in determining - a program under the Job Training whether a household is eligible to get food Partnership Act, stamps. Some resources are counted and some are not. The food stamp worker will explain which are counted. All households may have up to $2,000 worth of countable resources and be eligible. Households may have up to $3,000 and be eligible if a least one member is age 60 or older. Some resources that will not be counted are: your home and surrounding lot, household goods and personal belongings, and life insurance policies. Examples of resources that will be counted For all other vehicles, the fair market are: value over $4,500 or the equity value, whichever is greater, is cash and money in checking and counted as a resource. (Equity value savings accounts; is the market value of the vehicle, stocks and bonds; and less the amount the household owes land and buildings, other than your on home and lot, that do not produce it.) income. Incomes Under food stamp rules, almost (Proof: Bank books, bank statements, and all types of income are counted. Only other documents.) households with income at or below certain dollar limits will get food stamps. The resources ofpeople who get AFDC, SSI, and, in some locations, general (Proof: You must provide proof ofthe assistance are not counted toward the income of all household members. Ex- limit. amples of proof include latest pay stubs or a statement from your employer; and Licensed vehicles are handled as follows: benefit letters from Social Security, A vehicle is not counted as a resource Veterans Administration, unemployment if it is: compensation, or pensions.) - used over 50 percent ofthe time Households in which all members are for producing income for the getting AFDC or SSI (or, in some loca- household, tions, general assistance) do not have to - annually producing income meet the income eligibility tests. consistent with its fair market value, Deductions: After adding all ofyour - necessary for long-distance travel household's countable income, the food for work (other than daily com- stamp worker will subtract certain deduc- mute), tions. The total must fall below a certain - used as the household's home, or dollar limit, depending on your - necessary to transport a physically household's size, for your household to get disabled household member. food stamps. The following deductions are allowed for all households: For the following vehicles, the fair a standard deduction; market value is determined and any a 20-percent deduction from earned amount over $4,500 is counted as a income; resource: a deduction for the actual costs of - one vehicle per household; and dependent care (There is a dollar limit on the amount of the deduc- - any vehicle used for employment, tion. Dependent care includes care training or education to prepare for children and disabled adults if for employment, or to look for this care is needed so that a house- employment to meet the food hold member can work, look for a stamp employment and training job, or get training or education rules. leading to a job.); and a part ofshelter expenses that is Ifyou do qualify, the notice will explain more than half ofyour income how many food stamps you will get. It will (There is a dollar limit on the also tell you how many months you can amount ofshelter expenses that may get food stamps before you must reapply. be deducted unless there is an elderly or disabled member. Ifthere is an Ifyou think your application has been elderly or disabled member, the wrongly denied or that you have not dollar limit does not apply.). gotten the correct amount of food stamps, you should tell the office. If they do not Ifyour household has one or more mem- agree, you must ask them to have your bers who are disabled or age 60 or older, case reviewed by a fair hearing official. you may be able to deduct any medical For more information about fair hearings, costs that are over $35 a month for these see the section entitled Your Rights on members. These costs are deductible only page 10. ifthey are not covered by insurance, a Government program, or some other Receiving Your Food Stamps source. Ifthe office finds that you are eligible, you will get your food stamps no later than 30 (Proof: Bills or records of payment for the days from the date you first applied, unless following: you qualify for faster service. Ifyou have dependent-care costs, such as a no income for the month (or very little babysitter, day-care center, or atten- income) and you need help right away, you dant for a disabled adult; may qualify for 5-day service. rent or mortgage; insurance on the structure (but not the contents) ofa home; telephone, electricity, gas, oil, water, sewerage, garbage collection, and installation costs for utilities; and medical expenses and proofofany reimbursement, such as an insurance policy or statement from an insurance company or agency paying these bills.) Finding Out Wlietlier You Qualify After your interview, the food stamp office will send you a notice. Ifyou do not qualify for food stamps, the notice will explain why.