What Happens After I Apply For Food Stamps? 

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What Happens After I Apply For Food Stamps? 

In this community resource guide, you will learn what happens after you apply for food stamp benefits.

Once you submit your SNAP application, you may be eager to learn about the outcome as well as start receiving your food assistance benefits. While each food stamp department tries its best to get clients certified as quickly as possible there is a process.

If you have recently applied for food stamps and are wondering what the next steps are, continue reading to learn what comes next.

What Happens After I Submit My Food Stamp Application?

After you submit your application, your state agency or local SNAP office will usually process it and notify you whether or not you are qualified for benefits within 30 days.

Completing A Food Stamp Eligibility Interview

You will be required to complete an eligibility interview, as well as provide evidence (verification) of the information you supplied on your food stamp application. The interview is most often done over the phone or in person. If you are determined eligible, you will receive payments depending on when you submit your application.

How To Get Emergency Food Stamp Benefits

If you meet certain criteria, you may be eligible for emergency SNAP benefits within 24 hours to 7 days of your application date (depending on your state).

Circumstances that could qualify you to receive emergency food stamps are:

  • Having a household income of less than $100.
  • Receiving no more than $150 in monthly gross income.
  • Your household income is less than your monthly rent or mortgage.

To learn about emergency SNAP benefits in your state contact the SNAP hotline at 800.221.5689.

When Will I Get My Food Stamp Card After I Qualify For SNAP?

It takes 5 to 10 days to receive your food stamp card in the mail once you qualify for SNAP. The timeframe will depend on the state that you live in.

Food Stamp Numbers In Each State

If for some reason you do not receive your food stamp card after 10 days, you can contact the SNAP office in your state for more information. You can also use these same numbers to get a status update on your food stamp benefits. 

StateEBT Customer Service Number NumberPhone Number To Apply For Food StampsState Food Stamp Websites
Alabama800-997-8888334-242-1700Website
Alaska888-997-8111907-465-3347Website
Arizona888-997-9333855-777-8590Website
Arkansas800-997-9999800-482-8988Website
California877-328-9677877-847-3663Website
Colorado888-328-2656800-536-5298Website
Connecticut888-328-2666855-626-6632Website
Delaware800-526-9099800-372-2022Website
Washington DC888-304-9167202-724-5506Website
Florida888-356-3281866-762-2237Website
Georgia888-421-3281877-423-4746Website
Guam866-937-4826671-735-7245Website
Hawaii888-328-4292855-643-1643Website
Idaho888-432-4328877-456-1233Website
Illinois800-678-5465800-843-6154Website
Indiana877-768-5098800-403-0864Website
Iowa800-359-5802877-347-5678Website
Kansas800-997-6666888-369-4777Website
Kentucky888-979-9949855-306-8959Website
Louisiana888-997-1117888-524-3578Website
Maine800-477-7428800-442-6003Website
Maryland800-997-2222800-332-6347Website
Massachusetts800-997-2555877-382-2363Website
Michigan888-678-8914855-275-6424https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0Website,5885,7-339-71547_5527---,00.html
Minnesota888-997-2227800-657-3698Website
Mississippi866-512-5087800-948-3050Website
Missouri800-997-7777855-373-4636Website
Montana866-850-1556888-706-1535Website
Nebraska877-247-6328800-383-4278Website
Nevada866-281-2443800-992-0900Website
New Hampshire888-997-9777603-271-9700Website
New Jersey800-997-3333800-687-9512Website
New Mexico800-843-8303800-283-4465Website
New York888-328-6399800-342-3009MyBenefits New York _Website
North Carolina888-622-7328800-662-7030Website
North Dakota800-630-4655800-755-2716Website
Ohio866-386-3071866-244-0071Website
Oklahoma888-328-6551855-880-8003Website
Oregon888-997-4447503-945-5600Website
Pennsylvania888-328-7366800-692-7462Website
Puerto Rico877-467-4832787-289-7600WebWebsitesite
Rhode Island888-979-9939855-697-4347Website
South Carolina800-554-5268800-616-1309Website
South Dakota800-604-5099877-999-5612Website
Tennessee888-997-9444866-311-4287Website
Texas800-777-7328877-541-7905Website
Utah800-997-4444866-526-3663Website
Vermont800-914-8605800-479-6151Website
Virgin Islands866-884-2868340-774-2399Website
Virginia866-281-2448800-552-3431Website
Washington888-328-9271877-501-2233Website
West Virginia866-545-6502800-642-8589Website
Wisconsin877-415-5164800-362-3002Website
Wyoming877-290-9401307-777-5846Website

Using Your Food Stamp Card

Once you receive your food stamp card, you can begin using it at any approved grocery store. Your food stamp or EBT card works just like an ATM card. Each time you make a purchase at a qualified store, it will be deducted from your monthly food stamp total.

Do Food Stamp Benefits Roll Over Each Month?

Yes, food stamp benefits will roll over from month to month. This means that if you do not use all of your benefits in a given month, those benefits will be carried over to the following month. This can be helpful if you do not make as many food purchases as you would like.

Conclusion

After applying for food stamps it typically takes 30 days to receive a response.  If your SNAP application is approved, you will be called by the food stamp department to participate in an eligibility interview. During a food stamp interview, you will need to verify the information was supplied on your food stamp application. If you do not receive a call or mail from the SNAP program you can call your state food stamp program to get a status update. 

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