Program Spotlight: TANF, SNAP & Emergency SNAP

If your grocery bill has gone up, you’re not alone. In 2022 alone, food prices increased by almost 10%, faster than in any year since 1979, according to the USDA. If you need help navigating food inflation, check out these assistance programs that can provide some relief.

TANF

What does the program offer?

TANF, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, helps families living on low-to-moderate incomes maintain financial stability. As a federal program overseen at the state level, TANF provides monthly cash assistance payments and other benefits.

To see the exact TANF benefits in your state, check out this map.

Who’s eligible for the program?

Because each state oversees its own TANF program, eligibility requirements can vary. But there are some criteria that most states require.

Common TANF requirements include:

  • Resident status. You must be a resident of the state where you’re applying for benefits. You must also be a U.S. citizen, national, or documented immigrant.
  • Unemployment status. You must be unemployed or underemployed and living on a low income.
  • Have dependents. You must have a child who’s 18 years or younger in your household. You can also qualify if you’re pregnant, or if you’re 18 years old or younger and identify as the head of your household.

To learn more about all of the eligibility requirements, contact your TANF state agency.

How do you apply?

Similar to understanding exactly which benefits your state offers through TANF, you can find all of the information you need to apply on this map. It will let you know where to apply and who to contact for additional information.

When you contact your state, be sure you understand the application requirements, so you can have all the necessary information and paperwork ready.

How do I maintain my eligibility? 

Maintaining eligibility and reapplying for TANF requirements vary by state. Some states even have a limit on the number of times you can receive benefits.

When you apply, be sure that you understand how to maintain your eligibility and any benefit limits your state program has. Always be sure your contact information is up to date so that the agency can get a hold of you if there are changes to your benefits.

SNAP

What does the program offer?

SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, offers support to individuals and families so they can cover the cost of groceries. Through this program, you can qualify for nutrition assistance that will help you pay for food at grocery stores. The goal of SNAP is to supplement your grocery budget so that you can purchase nutritious food, without it impacting your budget.

Who is eligible for the program?

To be eligible for SNAP, there are certain income, resource, and work requirements that your household must meet.

For the income requirement, a person or household must meet both the gross income requirement (income before taxes) and the net income requirement (income after taxes). Currently for the 48 contiguous states, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands, an individual can earn a gross income of $1,580 and a net income of $1,215 to be eligible. For a family of four, gross income must be at or below $3,250 and net income must not exceed $2,500. It’s important to note that these limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii.

Another component of eligibility considers what resources someone has available to them. To qualify for SNAP currently, a household can have up to $2,750 in countable resources (cash or money in a bank account). If the household has a member who is over age 60 or receives SSI, countable resources are allowed to be $4,250. And certain resources are excluded. Excluded resources include:

  • A house and a lot
  • Resources of people who receive SSI (Supplemental Social Security Income)
  • Resources of people who receive TANF benefits
  • Most retirement and pension plans (note that withdrawals from retirement and pension plans might count as income or resources for SNAP eligibility depending on how often they occur)

Some states will allow individuals on SNAP to have resources above these limits. So, it is important to check with your state agency to see exactly what resources are counted and what the limits are.

SNAP often has a work requirement component too. In most cases, to be eligible for SNAP, you must be registered for work, take jobs that are offered, or participate in employment training programs (if designated by a particular state). You also must not voluntarily reduce your work hours. Some individuals such as children, pregnant women, seniors, veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness, individuals who are under 24 and were in foster care on their 18th birthday, and those who are exempt for physical or mental reasons, don’t need to satisfy the work requirement to qualify for SNAP.

How do you apply? 

While SNAP is a federal program, it’s overseen at the state level. To apply for SNAP, you’ll need to apply in the state where you live. This map was put together by the USDA to help connect people with SNAP benefits within their communities. Click on the state you live in to find the contact information and application requirements for your state.

One final note: it’s important to make sure you have the appropriate documentation and understand the entire application process when applying. This will help everything run more smoothly.

How do I maintain my eligibility?

When you receive your SNAP benefits, you’ll be given a certification period. This period tells you how long you’re eligible for benefits. At the end of the certification period, you’ll receive a reminder to recertify. It’s important that you work with your local office to understand the recertification requirements, turn in the necessary documents on time, and keep your contact information up to date. This will help ensure you continue to qualify for SNAP benefits.

Disaster SNAP

What does the program offer?

Sometimes an individual or household’s income and food security are affected by a natural disaster or emergency. If this is the case for you, Disaster SNAP benefits, or D-SNAP, can help. D-SNAP is designed to help people cover the cost of groceries in states where the President has issued an Individual Assistance declaration.

Who is eligible for the program?

If you already have SNAP benefits, you’re typically eligible for D-SNAP, and you might see your benefits increase automatically during the emergency period. To see an increase in your benefits, you must have suffered a loss due to the disaster, and you must also receive less than the maximum amount of SNAP benefits for your family. If you meet both these requirements, your D-SNAP benefits will increase to reach the maximum benefit amount.

If you don’t typically receive SNAP benefits, you can still apply for D-SNAP. To qualify, you just need to prove that you’re facing a loss of income or costly expenses because of the disaster, evacuation, or relocation processes.

How do you apply?

The application process for D-SNAP is administered at the state level. This means you’ll need to contact your state SNAP office to find out how to apply. Be sure when you submit the application that you include all the necessary documentation and that you understand the process. This will help streamline your application experience.

How do I maintain my eligibility? 

The D-SNAP program is instituted for disaster and emergency situations. Once the conditions defining the disaster have cleared up, you’ll no longer be eligible for benefits. However, if another disaster occurs that impacts your financial health, you can reapply for D-SNAP using the application process that your state follows.