Food Assistance
Written by
admin
|
November 26, 2024
Client Story
You may file for food assistance (“food stamps”) if you face food insecurity because of your limited income. This program, known as SNAP, allows lower-income families to purchase food using EBT cards.
Context
Food assistance is a public benefit which may be claimed by any qualifying person who faces hardship when purchasing food. The Alabama Food Assistance program is part of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
In Alabama, food assistance is provided through the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). In order to receive food assistance your household’s gross income must be less than 130% of the federal poverty rate, and your net income must be less than 100% of the federal poverty rate.
DHR distributes food assistance each month via electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards.
An individual above of at least 18 years old and less than 50 years old, who has no children and no disability, is classified as an Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD). Someone who is an ABAWD is limited to 3 months of food assistance, unless they fulfill certain requirements.
Requirements
- Proof of identity and age (ex. License)
- Proof of citizenship (ex. Birth certificate)
- Proof of Social Security Number (ex. Social Security Card)
- Proof of residency (ex. Lease)
- Proof of monetary resources on hand (ex. Bank statements of savings and checking accounts)
- Proof of all sources of income (ex. Pay stubs)
- Proof of utility bills and other expenses (ex. Phone bill)
- Proof of childcare expenses
- If you are over 60 years old, copies of medical receipts for expenses greater than $35 which were not covered by insurance
Steps
Step 1: Check Eligibility
While the SNAP program is federally funded, each state sets its own eligibility requirement. These requirements are set for each year at the end of September.
Households and household members will be considered ineligible if they:
- Intentionally violate the rules of the program.
- Fail to comply with work requirements.
- Have been convicted of a drug related felony, and have not completed both their sentence and a mandatory treatment program.
- Claim $3,500 or more in lottery or gambling winnings.
Households may have ineligible members including ineligible aliens, ineligible students, ineligible able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs), and those institutionalized in a nonexempt facility.
Any member of the household who is an ABAWD may get up to 3 months of food assistance in 36 months. If you are an ABAWD and need more than 3 months, then you either must fulfill work requirements or fall within an exemption. Exemptions include if you are homeless, receive Social Security or SSI, care for a disabled person, are in a substance abuse program, are a student, etc. In order for you to gain the exemption or if you have any questions, please notify your local Food Assistance office with proof of status.
ABAWDs are required to work an average of at least 20 hours a week or 80 hours per month. Work that fulfills the requirement includes work for done pay, work done in exchange for housing or other benefits, and unpaid volunteer work in fields such as health, social services, and daycare.
Your household must report if an ABAWD’s work hours drop below 20 hours a week. If there was good cause then the work requirements will still be considered to have been met. “Good cause” for missing work includes circumstances beyond the person’s control such as illness, household emergency, and unavailability of transportation.
You can check whether you are qualified to receive SNAP benefits either by putting your information into a benefit calculator or by speaking with your local food assistance office.
You can find the address and phone number for your county’s food assistance office here.
Step 2: Start Application
The process of requesting food assistance involves submitting an application, attending an interview, and having certain information verified.
Your application must be filed for the county where you live.
You can apply for SNAP benefits either online or in person. Once you have completed your application it will need to be submitted to your county office. This can be done online, in person, by mail, by fax, or through an authorized representative.
If you decide to apply online you must first register an account with MyDHR. Once you have an online account you will be able to see your case information, complete your recertification, and manage your benefits.
To file an application in person you must go to your local county DHR office. There they will help you through the process. If you decide to apply in person, you will still be able to create an online account so that you may view your information.
The interview usually happens within 30 days of filing the application.
Interviews can be done in person at the local office, at another certification cite, or over the phone. The interview will be between a qualified eligibility worker and a member of the household or a household representative.
At the interview, the worker will answer any questions you may have and fill in any information that may have been missing from the application. They will advise you of rights and responsibilities as a household and its members.
At the interview you will be asked to provide evidence to verify the information on the application. The eligibility worker may ask to see various documents, speak to people who are regularly around you, and wish to schedule a home visit.
After this process you should receive notice of whether your application has been accepted or denied.
Step 3: Appeal
If your application is denied, you have the right to appeal the decision. You may also file an appeal if your benefits have been reduced or terminated. You have the right to appeal any action that occurred over the last 90 days.
If you wish to appeal, then you may make your request to the county DHR either orally or in writing. Once you’ve notified them the county must fill out a Notification of Hearing Request. They may also offer to hold a conference and assist you with the process if asked. While in the process of appealing, your benefits may be able to continue.
You have the right to request either an agency conference or a fair hearing. If you decide to request an agency conference you will still be able to request a fair hearing later.
At an agency conference an employee of DHR will review your case. The meeting will include the initial eligibility worker’s immediate supervisor and/or program supervisor or director, as well as the household or its representative. The initial eligibility worker may also be in attendance.
Fair hearings are conducted by staff of the Food Assistance Division of DHR. The hearing official will be an impartial employee of Food Assistance Division who was not involved in the initial determination.
The hearing and notice of the decision should occur within 60 days of the request. The decision should be issued no later than 30 days from the date of the hearing. Once the decision has been made you should receive a copy with a summary of the facts, specific reasons for the decision, and notification of the right to request a rehearing or a judicial review.
Following the initial fair hearing you have the right to request either a rehearing or a judicial review of the case. You must request a rehearing within 15 days of the final decision. A rehearing will follow the same process as the fair hearing, while a judicial review will occur in court before a judge.
Step 4: Recertification
The recertification process is similar to the application process. At the appropriate time you will submit a recertification application, attend an interview, and provide verification documents.
At the start of the last month of the household’s certification period the county Food Assistance office will send a Notice of Expiration.
The recertification application must include a date and signature.
After the recertification application is filed, the county office should reach out and schedule an interview. The interview should occur no less than 10 days from the end of the recertification period to provide time for you to give any requested verification.
If the reapplication process happens on time, but you were unable to provide the requested verification within 10 days, you should be given a grace period of a few days in order to submit the necessary information.
Step 5: Receive Benefits
Once your application has been approved you will be able to begin to receive benefits. These benefits will extend back to the month that your application was completed.
The amount of benefits you receive depends on your eligibility.
Benefits are issued over a span of 20 days each month. The day that your benefits are issued is based on the last two digits of your case number. This is the schedule for which day the benefits are released.
Benefits are issued to your EBT card which can be used at any of 4,000 authorized locations across the state. You can find stores near you by going to the
SNAP Retailer Locator
.
You may only buy food using your EBT card. You will not be able to buy hot prepared food, alcohol, tobacco/nicotine products, vitamins, pet food, or household supplies. For more information please visit: https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items
Step 6: Restore Lost Benefits
If your household has lost its benefits, it may still be entitled to have its rights restored. Benefits may be restored in cases where the county Food Assistance office has committed an error, or and when an administrative disqualification has been reversed.
Benefits may be restored for the previous 12-month period even if the household is currently ineligible. The household may receive benefits for any month in the past 12 months that they would have been eligible.
The county office should determine if the household was eligible during each month affected by the loss.
Once it has been determined that your benefits will be returned, you will receive your restored benefit allotment in a lump sum. You may also submit a request to receive the money in monthly installments.
Conclusion
Food assistance is a public benefit, meant to help alleviate food insecurity throughout the state of Alabama. If you need any assistance or have questions, please contact the Food Assistance Division.
You can find the contacts for the Food Assistance program’s Information Hotline, email address, and mailing address here. Again, you can find information for your local county Food Assistance Office here.
Reach out to either the Information Hotline or your local office with your questions and they will gladly assist you with your needs. Other helpful related services are listed here.
Whether you wish to apply online or wish to view your account online, visit MyDHR.
More Articles
Foreclosures and Ejectments
Client Story A foreclosure is the process by which a lender attempts to retake possession of the property of a homeowner who has fallen behind on their payments for an extended time. If your property is being foreclosed on, it’s possible to defend yourself against it—and potentially options to reclaim the property if you lose it. Context Foreclosure begins after the homeowner has failed to make payments on their mortgage for at least 120 days. Most mortgages will include a means for the lender to foreclose on your home in this way.The lender must publish notice of the foreclosure for … Learn More
Social Security
Client Story When you retire, or when you become unable to work because of a disability, Social Security can provide you with a source of income. Social security covers everything from retirement and disability to spousal benefits, survivor benefits, and supplemental security income (SSI). Context Social Security is a public benefit that may be claimed by any eligible individual. It can come in different forms and for different causes. Retirement benefits, which you pay for by way of social security deductions from your paycheck during your working life Disability benefits, if you are unable to work because you have: A … Learn More