In Alabama, residents with low-income can apply to get economic benefits through the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is also known as ‘food stamps’. This one is part of the several programs that the US government has developed to help its citizens.
It is managed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which provides monetary benefits to cover the food budget, and educated about nutrition. It has become a very good option for people that do not have the capability to afford quality food.
If you want to know more about this program, in this article we will explain the basic requirements and the application process.
Eligibility criteria
Personal data
To apply for food stamps in Alabama, you must be able to prove several requirements of every household member, such as:
- Prove of residence of the state of Alabama; this means that you can only apply for the county where you reside, and you cannot receive food assistance in more than one county or state.
- Have a Social Security Number (SSN). Although this is voluntary, if you do not provide the SSN of every household member, it can result in a disqualification.
- Citizenship and alien status. This requirement will prove that you are living legally in the United States.
Work-related requirements
Unless you are unable to work, every household member must meet the following criteria:
- Be registered to work.
- Not having quit a job or reduced hours (voluntarily).
- Must accept a suitable job (of minimum 30 hours weekly) if offered.
Household size
Household size refers to the number of people that resides or lives in the same building or place with you, related or unrelated, such as family, friends, etc, that also shares expenses with you.
Income limits
An income limit is the maximum amount of income a household can earn to qualify for assistance. In this case, your annual income must be below the following (depending on your household size):
NOTE: If your household size is superior to eight people, we recommend you to consult with your county department.
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Application process
Locally
If you want to apply for food stamps in Alabama, you will have to fill a form and provide your address, full name, SSN, among other information. Besides, be aware that you will have to answer several questions about your current economic situation.
For your convenience, here is a copy of that form.
You can sign the application and bring it to your County Department of Human Resources (DHR) office to process it; but, you can also fill it at home and send it by mail or fax. Here is a link where you can find all the contact information depending on your county.
Online
In the state of Alabama you can also apply online to get food stamps, just follow these steps:
- Go to myalabamagov.org.
- If you already have an account, type your username and password and click on ‘Sign In’.
- However, if you do not have one, click on ‘Create an Account’. To register you will have to introduce your full name, SSN, date of birth, sex, driver’s license number, and driver’s license state.
- Once you are done with the registration, follow the prompts and start the process. When you finish, the application will be sent to the DHR office of the county where you reside. If you do not know where is your DHR office, check here.
Interview
After submitting your form, you will have to wait for an answer from the county department, so that they can appoint an interview between you and a worker. In this interview you will have to answer some questions about your income and expenses, and show all the mentioned documents:
- Residence of the state of Alabama.
- Social Security Number.
- US Citizenship.
Waiting period
After all this process, you will have to wait up to thirty days (30 days) to receive an answer from the county department.