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Facts About the Food Stamp Program
The Food Stamp Program helps low-income people buy the food they need for good health. You may be able to get food stamp benefits if you are:
State public assistance agencies run the program through their local offices. The following basic rules apply in most States, but a few States have different rules.
The amount of food stamp benefits you can get is based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Thrifty Food Plan, which is an estimate of how much it costs to buy food to prepare nutritious, low-cost meals for your household. This estimate is changed every year to keep pace with food prices.
In the Food Stamp Program, a household is normally a group of people who live together and buy food and prepare meals together. If your household passes the program’s eligibility tests, the amount of food stamp benefits you get will depend on the number of people in your household and on how much monthly income is left after certain expenses are deducted.
Food stamp benefits help supplement an individual’s or a family’s income to help buy nutritious food. Most households must spend some of their own cash along with their food stamp benefits to buy the food they need.
To apply for food stamp benefits or for more information about the Food Stamp Program, contact your local food stamp office. The food stamp office may be listed under “Human Resources,” “Social Services,” “Food Stamps” or Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)” in the State or local government pages of the telephone directory. You may also call the Food Stamp Program toll free information line at 1-800-221-5689, or your State’s toll-free information line or go to your State’s web site. Many States have a locator on the web site that will tell you where the nearest office is.
The following States allow you to apply online. Here are their websites:
Kansas - · https://srits004.sr.state.ks.us/
Online application and self-assessment tool (English and Spanish)
New Jersey - · http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dfd/FSapply.html Benefit Calculator, Online Application (for Mercer County, Camden County, Essex County, Middlesex County, and Union County), and Printable Applications (English, Spanish, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Korean, Polish, Portuguese)
New York - · https://www.madisoncountyfoodstamps.org/Prescreen.asp Eligibility Screening and Online Application (Only for Madison County)
Pennsylvania - · https://www.humanservices.state.pa.us/COMPASS/PGM/ASP/SC001.asp
West Virginia - · http://www.wvinroads.org/
Washington - · http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/ESA/TEC/
Other States are working on systems that will allow applicants to apply by computer, but none are ready yet. We’ll post them here as the States put them on line.
You can use our online pre-screening tool to find out if you might be eligible for food stamp benefits and how much you might receive in benefits. The pre-screening tool is private and easy-to-use. It is available in English and Spanish. If the pre-screening tool says you may be eligible for food stamp benefits, you still need to fill out an application and submit it to your local food stamp office if you want to apply for food stamp benefits.
Applying for Food Stamp Benefits
The food stamp office will give you an application form on the same day you ask for one. You may ask for it in person, over the phone, or by mail. You can also ask someone else to get one for you. The office will accept the form on the same day you turn it in, even if they cannot interview you on that day.
Fill in your name, address, telephone number, and as much other information as you can on the application form, and sign it. You must answer all questions completely and honestly. If you knowingly give false information or intentionally fail to report required information, you may incur substantial penalties, including fines, imprisonment, and removal from the program.
You can take, send, or mail the form to the food stamp office. Some States accept faxed or e-mailed applications. Currently, most States do not accept food stamp applications online. However, at minimum, States should have their food stamp application available on their website in every language in which the agency makes a printed application available. This will enable you to print an application, fill it out, and send it to your local food stamp office.
The sooner you get the form in to the office, the sooner you can get your benefits, if you are eligible. If you qualify for food stamp benefits, you will get them no later than 30 days from the date the office got your application. If your household has little or no money and needs help right away, you may be able to get food stamps within 7 days.
After you have turned in your application, the food stamp office will contact you to set up an interview to go over your application. A food stamp worker will explain the program rules and help you complete any parts of the 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.
If you and everyone you live with are applying for or getting Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, you may apply for food stamp benefits in your Social Security district office. (This does not apply in California, where people who receive SSI benefits get cash instead of food stamp benefits). Households that apply for benefits under the Food Stamp Program may also be able to apply for public assistance and, in some locations, State or local general assistance at the same time.
Listed below are some of the basic rules and the kinds of proof you may need during your interview. Your case may be completed faster if you bring the proof with you to the interview.
If you have trouble getting papers (documents) or information you need, the worker may be able to help you. If the papers are not easy to get, you may give the name of someone, such as your employer, who can confirm your statements.
U. S. citizens and many non-citizens are eligible for the program. For a complete list of the special requirements for non-citizens, go to our immigrant policy page. Even if some members of the household are not eligible, those who are may be able to get food stamp benefits.
Everyone in the household that is applying for benefits must have or apply for a Social Security number. A household member that does not have a Social Security number can choose not to apply for benefits and be treated as a non-applicant. Even though non-applicants are ineligible for food stamps, their income and resources are still counted to determine eligibility for the remaining household members. If you are otherwise eligible for food stamp benefits, you can get them for a short time while you are waiting for your Social Security number.
With certain exceptions, able-bodied adults between 16 and 60 years of age must register for work, accept an offer of suitable work, and take part in an employment and training program to which they will be referred by the food stamp office.
Generally, able-bodied adults aged 18 to 50 who do not have children and are not pregnant can only get food stamps for 3 months in a 3-year period unless they are working or participating in a work or workfare program. There are a few exceptions.
Most able-bodied students ages 18 through 49 who are enrolled in college or other institutions of higher education at least half time are not eligible for food stamp benefits. However, students may be able to get food stamp benefits if otherwise eligible and they:
Also, a single parent enrolled full time in college and taking care of a dependent household member under the age of 12 can get food stamp benefits if otherwise eligible.
Households with a person who is on strike because of a labor dispute are not eligible unless they were eligible the day before the strike and continue to be eligible at the time of application. Eligible households cannot get more food stamp benefits just because the striking member is getting less income.
Under Food Stamp Program rules, resources—such as bank accounts, cash, real estate, personal property, vehicles, etc.—are considered in determining whether a household is eligible to get food stamp benefits. Some resources are counted toward the allowable limit 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 still be eligible. Households may have up to $3,000 and still be eligible if at least one member is age 60 or older, or disabled.
The resources of people who get public assistance, SSI, and, in some locations, general assistance are not counted toward the limit.
Some resources that will not be counted are:
Examples of resources that will be counted are:
Licensed vehicles are handled as follows:
(Most States have a less stringent vehicle policy, based on the rules in their Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Many States exempt one vehicle per household; others exempt all vehicles. If you ask about it, the eligibility worker will explain any differences from the policy described above.)
Under Food Stamp Program rules, almost all types of income are counted to determine if a household is eligible. Most households must have income at or below certain dollar limits before and after deductions are allowed. However, households in which all members are getting public assistance or SSI (or, in some locations, general assistance) do not have to meet the income eligibility tests.
(Proof: You must provide proof of the income of all household members. Examples of proof include latest pay stubs or a statement from your employer; and benefit letters from Social Security, Veterans Administration, unemployment compensation, or pensions.)
Most households must meet both the gross and net income tests, but a household with an elderly person or a person who is receiving certain types of disability payments only has to meet the net income test. Households, except those noted, that have income over the amounts listed below cannot get food stamps.
*Increases are higher in Alaska and Hawaii. After adding all of your household’s countable income, the food stamp worker will subtract certain deductions. The income after deductions must fall below a certain dollar amount for your household to get food stamp benefits. This dollar amount will depend on the number of people in your household. The following deductions are allowed for all households:
Proof: Bills or records of payment for the following:
The amount of benefits the household gets is called an allotment. The net monthly income of the household is multiplied by .3, and the result is subtracted from the maximum allotment for the household size to find the household’s allotment. This is because food stamp households are expected to spend about 30 percent of their resources on food.
If a household applies after the first day of the month, benefits will be provided from the day the household applies.
The Food Stamp Program is available to all eligible households regardless of race, sex, religious creed, national origin, or political beliefs.
After your interview, the food stamp office will send you a notice. If you do not qualify for food stamp benefits, the notice will explain why. If you do qualify, the notice will explain how much your food stamp benefit will be. It will also tell you how many months you can get food stamp benefits before you must reapply.
If you think your application has been wrongly denied or that you have not gotten the correct amount of food stamp benefits, you should tell the office. If they do not agree, you must ask them to have your case reviewed by a fair hearing official. For more information about fair hearings, see the section below entitled “Your Rights.”
If the office finds that you are eligible, you will be able to get your food stamp benefits no later than 30 days from the date you first applied, unless you qualify for faster service. If you have no income (or very little income) for the month and you need help right away, you may qualify for 7-day service.
Food stamp benefits are delivered to EBT accounts. You will receive a plastic card with a magnetic strip (similar to a credit or debit card) to access your food stamp EBT account at authorized food retail outlets. Along with your EBT card, you will receive a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that protects your benefits from unauthorized use by someone else. Your PIN is a secret number, which only you know, that allows you to use your EBT card to purchase eligible food items. Keep your PIN secret and do not write it down on the card or card sleeve. Without the PIN, nobody else can use your card.
Most states mail EBT cards to recipients. If your EBT card is mailed to you, you will also receive important information on how to use your EBT card. In addition, you will also receive information on your rights and responsibilities when using an EBT card to purchase eligible food items. If your EBT card is mailed, you will receive your PIN in the mail several days after receiving your EBT card. On the other hand, if your state delivers EBT cards over-the-counter, your local caseworker will explain the process for receiving your EBT card and PIN, and provide training on use of the card.
Food stamp benefits are automatically deposited into your food stamp EBT account once you are determined eligible to receive food stamp benefits. For every month you are eligible to receive food stamp benefits, your benefits will be automatically deposited into your EBT account. A worker at your local food stamp office will tell you which day of the month your food stamp benefits will be deposited into your EBT account.
EBT cards can be used like a debit card at most stores that sell food. Once your eligible food items have been totaled at the cash register, you will pass your EBT card through a point-of-sale (POS) terminal in the check-out line, and enter your PIN. In most cases, the POS terminal connects with a computer where your food stamp benefits are stored. In some States, the benefits are actually stored on the card. The cost of the food stamp items you purchase will be subtracted from the amount in your food stamp EBT account, up to the balance remaining in the account.
Once your food stamp EBT transaction is complete, you will receive a receipt that shows the amount of your food stamp purchase and the amount of food stamp benefits remaining in your EBT account. You should keep these receipts so you know how much of the food stamp benefits remain in your EBT account each time you go to the store. You should also keep these receipts as your record of food stamp purchases in case there are problems with your account.
If you need someone to purchase your groceries for you because of a disability, lack of transportation, or other reason, ask your local caseworker to explain how you can designate a person you trust as your authorized representative.
Food stamp benefits can only be used for food and for plants and seeds to grow food for your household to eat. Sales tax cannot be charged on items bought with food stamp benefits.
Food stamp benefits cannot be used to buy:
Some households are required to report on their household circumstances every month. Other households are required to report changes in household circumstances when they become known. Still other households report changes once a quarter or semi-annually. You may report changes by calling the food stamp office. However, it is better to write down the change and mail it to the office.
If you are eligible for food stamp benefits, you will be told what information to report and when to report.
It is extremely important that you report changes, so that your household gets the right amount of food stamp benefits. If you get any extra food stamp benefits because you have not reported the right information, you will have to pay back the value of the extra food stamp benefits.
You have the right to:
You can ask the food stamp office for a fair hearing in writing, in person, or over the phone. The office will give you information about the hearing rules in your State.
You can ask a friend or relative or anyone else to help you prepare for the hearing and go to the hearing with you. In some cases, you can continue to get your food stamp benefits without a change while you are waiting for the hearing decision.
If the official decides the food stamp office is right, you will have to repay the value of any food stamp benefits you did not have a right to get. If the hearing official decides you are right, you will continue to get or begin to get the correct amount of food stamp benefits. If the hearing official decides you are right and you did not get continued benefits, the amount of any food stamp benefits you had a right to get will be given to you.
People who break Food Stamp Program rules may be disqualified from the program, fined, put in prison, or all three.
Most food stamp rules apply to all households, but there are a few special rules for households that contain an elderly or disabled member.
A person is elderly if he or she is 60 years of age or older.
Generally, a person is considered to be disabled for food stamp purposes if he or she:
A person must be a U.S. citizen, a member of a small group of certain non-citizens, or an eligible non-citizen to qualify for food stamps.
There are some immigrants who are immediately eligible for food stamps without having to meet other immigrant requirements, as long as they meet the normal food stamp requirements:
If a person is not a citizen, or one of the other groups above, he or she has to be a qualified alien to get food stamps. The following qualified aliens are eligible with no waiting period:
A qualified alien who does not belong to one of the groups above can get food stamps if he/ she is otherwise eligible, and is:
On Oct. 1, 2003, members of these groups under 18 will be eligible without a waiting period. (Continuing eligibility will be reviewed once the alien reaches age 18.)
The following qualified aliens, as defined above, are also eligible without a waiting period:
(Some States have programs to supply food benefits in lieu of food stamps to immigrants who do not qualify for food stamp benefits.)
The 2002 Farm bill restores food stamp eligibility to most legal immigrants that:
Certain non-citizens such as those admitted for humanitarian reasons and those admitted for permanent residence are also eligible for the program. Eligible household members can get food stamps even if there are other members of the household that are not eligible.
Non-citizens that are in the U.S. temporarily, such as students, are not eligible.
A number of States have their own programs to provide benefits to immigrants who do not meet the regular Food Stamp Program eligibility requirements.
With some exceptions, able-bodied adults between 16 and 60 must register for work, accept suitable employment, and take part in an employment and training program to which they are referred by the food stamp office. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in disqualification from the Program. In addition, able-bodied adults between 18 and 50 who do not have any dependent children can get food stamps only for 3 months in a 36-month period if they do not work or participate in a workfare or employment and training program other than job search. This requirement is waived in some locations.
Use the following numbers to get information on food stamp questions in the States and areas of States listed. Most are toll-free numbers. Some of the numbers that aren’t toll free will accept collect calls. ** Indicates numbers accept collect calls.
The WIC target populations are low-income, nutritionally at risk:
The following benefits are provided to WIC participants:
WIC is not an entitlement program as Congress does not set aside funds to allow every eligible individual to participate in the program. WIC is a Federal grant program for which Congress authorizes a specific amount of funds each year for the program. WIC is
The Food and Nutrition Service administers the WIC Program at the Federal level; State agencies are responsible for determining participant eligibility and providing benefits and services, and for authorizing vendors.
To apply to be a WIC participant, you will need to contact your State or local agency to set up an appointment. Check out your State’s website or call the toll-free number. When you call to set up an appointment, someone will tell you the location nearest your home and what you need to bring with you.
To apply to be a WIC vendor, you will need to contact your State agency.
To be eligible for the WIC Program, applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
The WIC Program is designed to serve certain categories of women, infants, and children. Therefore, the following individuals are considered categorically eligible for WIC:
Applicants must live in the State in which they apply. Applicants served in areas where WIC is administered by an Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) must meet residency requirements established by the ITO. At State agency option, applicants may be required to live in a local service area and apply at a WIC clinic that serves that area. Applicants are not required to live in the State or local service area for a certain amount of time in order to meet the WIC residency requirement.
To be eligible for WIC, applicants must have income at or below an income level or standard set by the State agency or be determined automatically income-eligible based on participation in certain programs.
The State agency’s income standard must be between 100 percent of the
Federal poverty guidelines (issued each year by the Department of Health and Human Services), but cannot be more than 185 percent of the Federal poverty income guidelines.
Certain applicants can be determined income-eligible for WIC based on their participation in certain programs. These included individuals:
Nutrition Risk Requirement
Applicants must be seen by a health professional such as a physician, nurse, or nutritionist who must determine whether the individual is at nutrition risk. In many cases, this is done in the WIC clinic at no cost to the applicant. However, this information can be obtained from another health professional such as the applicant’s physician.
“Nutrition risk” means that an individual has medical-based or dietary-based conditions. Examples of medical-based conditions include anemia (low blood levels), underweight, or history of poor pregnancy outcome. A dietary-based condition includes, for example, a poor diet.
At a minimum, the applicant’s height and weight must be measured and bloodwork taken to check for anemia.
An applicant must have at least one of the medical or dietary conditions on the State’s list of WIC nutrition risk criteria.
On March 29, 2004, a Notice announcing revised WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines was published in the Federal Register. The adjusted income eligibility guidelines are used by State agencies in determining the income eligibility of persons applying to participate in the WIC Program. WIC State agencies must implement the new guidelines on July 1, 2004. However, WIC State agencies may implement the revised income guidelines at the same time States implement revised income eligibility guidelines for the Medicaid Program. On February 13, 2004, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published its annual update of the poverty guidelines. The HHS guidelines are used by a number of Federal programs, including WIC and the Medicaid Program, as the basis for determining and updating program income eligibility limits.
Contact the WIC State or local agency serving your area, to schedule an appointment. Applicants will be advised about what to bring to the WIC appointment to help determine eligibility. Many of the State agencies listed provide a toll-free number for you to call and/or a website about the WIC Program operating in that area.
Length of Participation: WIC is a short-term program. Therefore, a participant will “graduate” at the end of one or more certification periods. A certification period is the length of time a WIC participant is eligible to receive benefits. Depending on whether the individual is pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding, an infant, or a child, an eligible individual usually receives WIC benefits from 6 months to a year, at which time she/he must reapply.
Waiting List/Priority System: Sometimes WIC agencies do not have enough money to serve everyone who needs WIC or calls to apply. When this happens, WIC agencies must keep a list, called a waiting list, of individuals who want to apply and are likely to be served. WIC agencies then use a special system, called a Priority System, to determine who will get WIC benefits first when more people can be served. The purpose of the priority system is to make sure that WIC services and benefits are provided first to participants with the most serious health conditions such as anemia (low blood levels), underweight, history of problems during pregnancy.
Moving: WIC participants who move from one area or State to another are placed at the top of a waiting list when they move and are also served first when the WIC agency can serve more individuals. WIC participants who move can continue to receive WIC benefits until their certification period expires as long as there is proof that the individual received WIC benefits in another area or State. Before a participant moves, they should tell the WIC office. In most cases, WIC staff will give the participant a special card which proves that the individual participated in the WIC Program. When the individual moves, they can call the new WIC office for an appointment and take the special card to the WIC appointment in the new area or State.
Pregnant or postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 are eligible. They must meet income guidelines, a State residency requirement, and be individually determined to be at “nutritional risk” by a health professional.
To be eligible on the basis of income, applicants’ gross income (i.e., before taxes are withheld) must fall at or below 185 percent of the U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines:
While most States use the maximum guidelines, States may set lower income limit standards. A person or certain family members who participate in other benefits programs such as the Food Stamp Program, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families automatically meet the income eligibility requirement.
Two major types of nutritional risk are recognized for WIC eligibility:
Nutritional risk is determined by a health professional such as a physician, nutritionist, or nurse, and is based on Federal guidelines. This health screening is free to program applicants.
Beginning April 1, 1999, State agencies use WIC nutrition risk criteria from a list established for use in the WIC Program. WIC nutrition risk criteria were developed by FNS in conjunction with State and local WIC agency experts. WIC State agencies are not required to use all of the nutritional risk criteria on the new list. FNS will update the list of criteria, as necessary, when new scientific evidence shows, after review by FNS and other health and nutrition experts, that the condition can be improved by providing WIC program benefits and services.
More than 7 million people get WIC benefits each month. Participation has risen steadily since the program began. In 1974, the first year WIC was permanently authorized, 88,000 people participated. By 1980, participation was at 1.9 million; by 1990 it was 4.5 million; and by 2000 it was 7.2 million. Average monthly participation for Fiscal Year 2002 was approximately 7.5 million.
Children have always been the largest category of WIC participants. The average monthly WIC participation for FY 2002 was approximately 7.5 million people — of that number, nearly 3.8 million were children, over 1.9 million were infants, and over 1.8 million were women.
About 47 percent of all babies born in the United States, and it is currently estimated that we have achieved full coverage of eligible infants. Of all eligible women, infants, and children, the program is estimated to serve about 93 percent.
The WIC program is available in each State, the District of Columbia, 33 Indian Tribal Organizations, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam.
In most WIC State agencies, WIC participants receive checks or food instruments to purchase specific foods each month which are designed to supplement their diets. WIC food is high in one or more of the following nutrients: protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. These are the nutrients frequently lacking in the diets of the program’s low-income target population. Different food packages are provided for different categories of participants. A few WIC State agencies distribute WIC foods through warehouses or deliver WIC foods to participants.
WIC foods include iron-fortified infant formula and infant cereal, iron-fortified adult cereal, vitamin C-rich fruit and/or vegetable juice, eggs, milk, cheese, peanut butter, dried beans or peas, tuna fish and carrots. Special infant formulas and certain medical foods may be provided when prescribed by a physician or health professional for a specified medical condition.
WIC cannot serve all eligible people, so a system of priorities has been established for filling program openings. Once a local WIC agency has reached its maximum caseload, vacancies are generally filled in the order of the following priority levels:
Mothers participating in WIC are encouraged to breastfeed their infants if possible, but State WIC agencies will provide formula to mothers who choose to use it. WIC State agencies are required by law to have competitively-bid infant formula rebate contracts with infant formula manufacturers. This means a WIC State agency agrees to provide one brand of infant formula to its participants and in return receives money back, called a rebate, from the manufacturer for each can of infant formula that is purchased by WIC participants. As a result, WIC pays the lowest possible price for infant formula. The brand of infant formula provided by WIC varies from State agency to State agency, depending on which company has the rebate contract in a particular State. The WIC Program gets back over a billion dollars each year from infant formula manufacturers. This is a big savings to the WIC Program which allows many more eligible women, infants, and children to be served. From October 2001to September 2002, nearly $1.5 billion was given back to WIC State agencies by infant formula manufacturers and this money was used to serve about 2.1 million additional eligible women, infants and children. In general, approximately 1 out of every 4 participants is served with rebate money. The WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), established in 1992, provides additional coupons to WIC participants that they can use to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers’ markets. FMNP is funded through a Congressionally mandated set-aside in the WIC appropriation. The program has two goals: To provide fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits and vegetables, from farmers’ markets to WIC participants who are at nutritional risk; and to expand consumers’ awareness and use of farmers’ markets. This program, operated in conjunction with the regular WIC Program, was offered in 32 States, the District of Columbia, and two Indian tribal organizations in FY 1998. State agencies may define locally grown produce to be that grown only within State borders or may also define it to include areas in neighboring States adjacent to its borders. The amount appropriated for FMNP for Fiscal Year 2003 is $25 million. By November 15 of each year, each applying or participating State agency must submit to the FNS Regional Office for approval a State plan for the following year as a prerequisite to receiving funds. FMNP State Plan guidance may also be obtained at the FNS Regional Office. An administering FMNP State agency may be the agriculture department, the health department, or any other agency approved by the chief executive officer of the State or Indian Tribal organization. Congress appropriated $4.696 billion for WIC in FY 2003. The appropriation includes $25 million for the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. By comparison, the WIC program cost $10.4 million in 1974; $727.7 million in 1980; $1.5 billion in 1985; and $2.1 billion in 1990. While most States use the maximum guidelines, States may set lower income limit standards. A person or certain family members who participate in other benefits programs such as the Food Stamp Program, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families automatically meet the income eligibility requirement. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is a Federal agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, responsible for administering the WIC Program at the national and regional levels. If you wish to apply as a participant in the WIC Program on behalf of yourself and/or your children, you should contact one of the WIC State agencies. Our directories contain website links and toll-free numbers. Someone at your state WIC agency will be able to tell you more about where to go to apply and what you need to bring with you. Meeting Eligibility Rules and Providing Proof That You Are Eligible
Citizenship Status
Social Security Numbers
Work Rules
Students
Persons on Strike
Resources
Income
People in Household Gross Monthly Income Limits Net Monthly Income Limits
1
$1,009 $776
2
1,354 1,041
3
1,698 1,306
4
2,043 1,571
5
2,387 1,836
6
2,732 2,101
7
3,076 2,366
8
3,421 2,631
Each Additional Person
+345 +265
Gross income means a household’s total, non excluded income, before any deductions have been made. Net income means gross income minus allowable deductions.
Deductions
Gross Income Computation Example Determine household size..... 4 people with no elderly or disabled members. Add gross monthly income... $800 earned income + $214 social security = $1,014 gross income. If gross monthly income is less than $1,014 is less than the the limit for household size, determine net income. $1,014 is less than the $2,043 allowed for a 4-person household, so determine net income.
Subtract Deductions to Determine Net Income and Apply the Net Income Test Example Subtract 20% earned income deduction....... $1,014 gross income Subtract standard deduction......... $800 earned income x 20% = $160. $1,014 - $160 = $854 Subtract dependent care deduction, but not more than limit..... $854 - $134 = $720 Subtract child support deduction...... $720 - $116 = $604 Subtract medical costs over $35 for elderly and disabled......... 0 Excess shelter deduction........ 0 Determine half of adjusted income....... $604 adjusted income/2 = $302 Determine if shelter costs are more than half of adjusted income........ $350 total shelter - $302 (half of income) = $48 excess shelter cost Subtract excess amount, but not more than the limit, from adjusted income........ $604 - $48 = $556 Net monthly income Apply the net income test.... Since the net monthly income is less than 1,571 allowed for a household of 4, the household has met the income test. Benefits
People in Household Maximum Monthly Allotment 1 $149 2 $274 3 $393 4 $499 5 $592 6 $711 7 $786 8 $898 Each additional person +112
Benefit Computation Example Multiply net income by 30%... $556 net monthly income x .3 = $166.80 (round up to $167) Subtract 30% of net income from the maximum allotment for the household size... $499 maximum allotment for 4 - $167 (30% of net income) = $332, Food Stamp Allotment for a full month. Finding Out If You Qualify
Receiving Your Food Stamps
Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
Using EBT to Purchase Food
Spending Your Food Stamp Benefits
Reporting on Your Household Circumstances
Your Rights
Your Responsibilities
Characteristics of Food Stamp Households in Fiscal Year 2001
Household Income and Resources
Average Monthly Deductions
Household Size
Average Monthly Benefits
Food Stamp Special Rules for the Elderly or Disabled
Who is Elderly?
Who is Disabled?
Food Stamp Policy on Immigrants
Non-citizens Who Qualify Outright
Qualified Aliens Eligible with No Waiting Period
Qualified Aliens Eligible After a Waiting Period.
Special Eligibilty Conditions
Immigrant Eligibility Requirements
Employment Requirements
State Food Stamp Information/Hotline Numbers
State Phone Number Alabama (334) 242-1700 Alaska (907) 465-3325 Arizona 1-800-352-8401 Arkansas 1-800-482-8988 California 1-800-952-5253 Colorado (303) 866-5087 ** Connecticut 1-800-842-1508 Delaware 1-800-464-4357 District of Columbia (202) 724-5506 Florida 1-800-342-9274 Georgia 1-800-869-1150outside metro area (404) 657-9358inside metro area Guam (671) 735-7245 Hawaii 643-1643 Idaho 1-800-926-2588 Illinois 1-800-843-6154TTY 800-447-6404 Indiana 1-800-622-4932 * Iowa 1-877-937-3663 Kansas 1-888-369-4777 Kentucky 1-800-931-9112 Louisiana 225-342-2541 Maine 1-800-452-4643 Maryland 1-800-332-6347 Massachusetts 1-866-950-3663 Michigan (517) 373-0707 Minnesota 1-800-657-3698 * Mississippi 1-800-948-3050 Missouri - Montana 1-800-332-2272 Nebraska 1-800-430-3244 Nevada 1-800-992-0900 (Ext. 40500) * New Hampshire 1-800-852-3345 (Ext. 4238) New Jersey 1-800-792-9773 New Mexico 1-888-473-3676 New York (upstate) 1-800-342-30091-877-472-0411 NYC only North Carolina 1-800-662-7030 North Dakota 1-800-755-2716 Ohio 1-866-244-0071 * Oklahoma 405-521-3444 Oregon 1-800-723-3638503-998-5888 Portland only Pennsylvania 1-800-692-7462 Rhode Island 401-462-5300 South Carolina 1-800-768-5700 South Dakota 1-877-999-5612 Tennessee 1-800-863-6178 Texas 1-877-556-2200 Utah 1-866-526-3663 Vermont 1-800-287-0589 Virgin Islands (340) 774-2399 Virginia 1-800-552-3431 Washington 1-800-865-7801 West Virginia 1-800-642-8589 Wisconsin 1-800-362-3002 Wyoming 1-800-457-3659 Women, Infants, and Children
Population Served
Benefits
Program Delivery
Examples of where WIC services are provided:
How to Apply
Who Gets WIC
Categorical Requirement
Residential Requirement
Income Requirement
Income Standard
Automatic Income Eligibility
WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines 2004-2005
Frequently Asked Questions about WIC
Who is eligible?
Income Eligibility Guidelines
(effective 7/1/04 - 6/30/05) Annually Monthly Weekly Family of 1 17,224 1,436 332 Family of 2 23,107 1,926 445 Family of 3 28,990 2,416 558 Family of 4 34,873 2,907 671 Family of 5 40,756 3,397 784 Family of 6 46,639 3,887 897 Family of 7 52,522 4,377 1,011 Family of 8 58,405 4,868 1,124 For each add’l family member, add +5,883 +491 +114
What is “nutritional risk”?
How many people does WIC serve?
What percent of eligible people does WIC reach?
Where is WIC available?
What food benefits do WIC participants receive?
Who gets first priority for participation?
What is the WIC infant formula rebate system?
What is the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program?
How much does WIC cost?
WIC Offices
| WIC at FNS Headquarters: Supplemental Food Programs Division Food and Nutrition Service - USDA 3101 Park Center Drive Alexandria, VA 22302 Telephone: (703)305-2746 FAX: (703)305-2196 |
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| Regional WIC Offices: | Serving these geographic states and territories: |
| Supplemental Food Programs Northeast Region - FNS - USDA 10 Causeway Street, Room 501 Boston, MA 02222-1066 Telephone: 617-565-6440 Telephone: 617-565-6440 |
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont |
| Supplemental Food Programs Mid-Atlantic Region - FNS - USDA Mercer Corporate Park 300 Corporate Boulevard Robbinsville, NJ 08691 - 1598 Telephone: 609-259-5100 FAX: 609-259-5179 |
Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Virginia, Virgin Islands, West Virginia |
| Supplemental Food Programs Southeast Region - FNS - USDA 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Room 8T36 Atlanta, GA 30303 Telephone: 404-562-7100 FAX: 404-527-4519 |
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee |
| Supplemental Food Programs Midwest Region - FNS - USDA 77 West Jackson Blvd., 20th Floor Chicago, IL 60604-3507 Telephone: 312-886-6625 FAX: 312-353-1706 |
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin |
| Supplemental Food Programs Southwest Region - FNS - USDA 1100 Commerce Street, Room5-C-30 Dallas, TX 75242 Telephone: 214-290-9812 FAX: 214-767-9599 |
Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas |
| Supplemental Food Programs Mountain Plains Region - FNS - USDA 1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 903 Denver, CO 80204 Telephone: 303-844-0331 FAX: 303-844-6203 |
Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming |
| Supplemental Food Programs Western Region - FNS - USDA 550 Kearny Street, Suite 400 San Francisco, CA 94108-2518 Telephone: 415-705-1313or 415-705-1335 FAX: 415-705-1029 |
Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington |
For other phone numbers and additional contact info such as addresses and websites, see the WIC state agency directories.
The School Breakfast Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It began as a pilot project in 1966, and was made permanent in 1975.
The School Breakfast Program is administered at the Federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service. At the State level, the program is usually administered by State education agencies, which operate the program through agreements with local school food authorities in more than 78,000 schools and institutions.
The School Breakfast Program operates in the same manner as the National School Lunch Program. Generally, public or nonprofit private schools of high school grade or under and public or nonprofit private residential child care institutions may participate in the School Breakfast Program. School districts and independent schools that choose to take part in the breakfast program receive cash subsidies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for each meal they serve. In return, they must serve breakfasts that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced price breakfasts to eligible children.
School breakfasts must meet the applicable recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans which recommend that no more than 30 percent of an individual’s calories come from fat, and less than 10 percent from saturated fat. In addition, breakfasts must provide one-fourth of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein, calcium, iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and calories. The decisions about what specific food to serve and how they are prepared are made by local school food authorities.
Any child at a participating school may purchase a meal through the School Breakfast Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the Federal poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals. (For the period July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004, 130 percent of the poverty level is $23,920 for a family of four; 185 percent is $34,040.) Children from families over 185 percent of poverty pay full price, though their meals are still subsidized to some extent.
Most of the support USDA provides to schools in the School Breakfast Program comes in the form of a cash reimbursement for each breakfast served. The current (July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004) basic cash reimbursement rates are:
| Free breakfasts | $1.20 | ||
| Reduced-price breakfasts | $0.90 | ||
| Paid breakfasts | $0.22 |
| Free lunches: | $2.24 | Free snacks: | $0.61 |
| Reduced-price lunches: | $1.84 | Reduced-price snacks: | $0.30 |
| Paid lunches: | $0.21 | Paid snacks: | $0.05 |
Higher reimbursement rates are in effect for Alaska and Hawaii, and for some schools with high percentages of low-income children.
In addition to cash reimbursements, schools are entitled by law to receive commodity foods, called “entitlement” foods, at a value of 17.25 cents for each meal served. Schools can also get “bonus” commodities as they are available from surplus agricultural stocks.
Through Team Nutrition USDA provides schools with technical training and assistance to help school food service staffs prepare healthful meals, and with nutrition education to help children understand the link between diet and health.
States select entitlement foods for their schools from a list of various foods purchased by USDA and offered through the school lunch program. Bonus foods are offered only as they become available through agricultural surplus. The variety of both entitlement and bonus commodities schools can get from USDA depends on quantities available and market prices.
A very successful project between USDA and the Department of Defense (DoD) has helped provide schools with fresh produce purchased through DoD. USDA has also worked with schools to help promote connections with local small farmers who may be able to provide fresh produce.
The National School Lunch Act in 1946 created the modern school lunch program, though USDA had provided funds and food to schools for many years prior to that. About 7.1 million children were participating in the National School Lunch Program by the end of its first year, 1946-47. By 1970, 22 million children were participating, and by 1980 the figure was nearly 27 million. In 1990, an average of 24 million children ate school lunch every day. In Fiscal Year 2003, more than 28.4 million children each day got their lunch through the National School Lunch Program. Since the modern program began, more than 187 billion lunches have been served.
The National School Lunch Program cost $7.1 billion in FY 2003. By comparison, the lunch program’s total cost in 1947 was $70 million; in 1950, $119.7 million; 1960, $225.8 million; 1970, $565.5 million; 1975, $1.7 billion; 1980, $3.2 billion; 1985, $3.4 billion; and 1990, $3.7 billion.
For information on the operation of the National School Lunch Program and all the Child Nutrition Programs, contact the State agency in your state that is responsible for the administration of the programs. A listing of all our State agencies may be found on our web site at www.fns.usda.gov/cnd , select “Contacts”.
You may also contact us through the office of USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, Public Information Staff at 703-305-2286, or by mail at 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 914, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
Are there children in your community who will go hungry this summer? Children in low-income communities are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. But those programs end when school ends for the summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program helps fill the hunger gap.
Good nutrition is essential for effective learning every day, all year long. Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does the need for good nutrition. Children who aren’t hungry learn better, act better, and feel better. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) helps children get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow throughout the summer months when they are out of school.
The Summer Food Service Program was created to ensure that children in lower-income areas could continue to receive nutritious meals during long school vacations, when they do not have access to school lunch or breakfast. But, although millions of children depend on nutritious free and reduced-price meals and snacks at school for 9 months out of the year, just a fraction of that receive the free meals provided by the SFSP during the summer months.
The SFSP is the single largest Federal resource available for local sponsors who want to combine a feeding program with a summer activity program. However, many schools and summer recreation programs are not aware that federal funds are available to provide free meals and snacks to children in needy areas during the summer months.
SFSP sponsors receive payments for serving healthy meals and snacks to children and teenagers, 18 years and younger, at approved sites in low-income areas. Schools, public agencies, and private nonprofit organizations may apply to sponsor the program. Your state education department can tell you where and how to apply. All sponsors receive training before starting the program to learn how to plan, operate, and monitor a successful food service program.
If you are a sponsor, the payments you receive are based on the number of meals you serve and the documented costs of running your program.
SFSP draws children into supervised activities that are safe, fun, and filled with learning opportunities. Children benefit nutritionally by receiving complete, wholesome meals, and parents benefit from some help in stretching their food dollars. The program encourages communities to provide safe places for children to go to be with other children and supportive adults. Parents know their children are receiving healthy meals in a supportive environment. Organizations receive funds to provide meals to complement recreational and educational programs that they have already planned.
From New York City to Corpus Christi to Garrett County, Maryland to Ware Shoals, South Carolina to Vinita, Oklahoma—in cities, towns, suburbs, and rural communities across America, the Summer Food Service Program can make a tremendous difference in the lives of children. Can SFSP succeed in your community?
Why not take advantage of this valuable resource to provide nutritious meals to children in your community? Contact your state education department (in most states) to learn more about the Summer Food Service Program today.
Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does a child’s need for good nutrition. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free, nutritious meals and snacks to help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow, throughout the summer months when they are out of school.
The Food and Nutrition Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, administers SFSP at the Federal level. State education agencies administer the program in most States. In some areas, the State health or social service department or an FNS regional office may be designated. Locally, SFSP is run by approved sponsors, including school districts, local government agencies, camps, or private nonprofit organizations. Sponsors provide free meals to a group of children at a central site, such as a school or a community center. They receive payments from USDA, through their State agencies, for the meals they serve and for their documented operating costs.
States approve SFSP meal sites as open, enrolled, or camp sites. Open sites operate in low-income areas where at least half of the children come from families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the Federal poverty level, making them eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. Meals are served free to any child at the open site. Enrolled sites provide free meals to children enrolled in an activity program at the site where at least half of them are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Camps may also participate in SFSP. They receive payments only for the meals served to children who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
Children 18 and younger may receive free meals and snacks through SFSP. Meals and snacks are also available to persons with disabilities, over age 18, who participate in school programs for people who are mentally or physically disabled.
At most sites, children receive either one or two reimbursable meals each day. Camps and sites that primarily serve migrant children may be approved to serve up to three meals to each child, each day.
For summer 2005, the maximum reimbursement rate per meal in most States is:
| Breakfast: | $1.42 |
| Lunch/supper: | $2.48 |
| Snack: | 58 cents |
Sponsors also receive Federal funds for administrative costs. Depending on the type of site, sponsors can receive up to:
| milk: | 14.00 cents |
| Lunch/supper: | 26.00 cents |
| Snack: | 7.00 cents |
Payment rates are higher in Alaska and Hawaii to reflect the higher cost of providing meals in those States.
SFSP was first created as part of a larger pilot program in 1968. It became a separate program in 1975. By 1980, 1.9 million children were participating. Participation dropped to 1.5 million in 1985, and grew to 1.7 million again by 1990. Over 2 million children participated at almost 31,000 sites in the summer of 2004.
Congress appropriated $272.6 million for SFSP in FY 1994, down from $288.2 million for the Program in Fiscal Year 2003. By comparison, the program cost $110.1 million in 1980; $111.5 million in 1985; $163.6 million in 1990; and $237 million in 1995.
To learn more about SFSP in your State, contact your administering agency (the education department in most States).
You may also contact the USDA Food and Nutrition Service Public Information Staff at 703-305-2286, or by mail at 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 914, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
March 30, 1999
Participation of Emergency Shelters Serving Homeless Children
(CACFP #6-99, SFSP #21-99)
Regional Directors
Child Nutrition
Programs All Regions
Several provisions of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization of 1998 (Public Law 105-336) affect the administration of benefits to homeless children. This memorandum provides guidance for State agencies to use regarding the participation of emergency shelters which serve homeless children and their families in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). We intend to publish regulations to implement these provisions as soon as possible. This memorandum will remain in effect until superseded by regulation or future memoranda.
Both Congress and this administration have made it a priority to improve the access homeless people have to mainstream programs, rather than creating a separate support system of programs and services. Public Law 105-336 works toward that goal by providing homeless children residing in emergency shelters with year-round access to nutritious meals and snacks under CACFP, effective July 1, 1999. Section 107(j) amended the National School Lunch Act (NSLA) in several significant ways. The law:
Institutions which support homeless children in temporary residential settings, including those which currently participate in HCNP or SFSP, may now apply to participate in CACFP under the provisions of section 17(t) of the NSLA.
Although the mission and the characteristics of emergency shelters differ from those of other child care institutions and facilities participating in CACFP, the structure and goals of their nonprofit food service programs are fundamentally the same. Nevertheless, there are important administrative questions affecting the participation of eligible emergency shelters in CACFP which we need to address.
Eligible Institutions and Facilities - Public Law 105-336 designated emergency shelters and sites operated by shelters as institutions and facilities eligible to participate in CACFP under section 17(t)(1) of the NSLA (42 U.S.C. 1766(t)(1)). The law adopted the definition of “emergency shelter” that is used in targeted homeless assistance programs created under section 321 of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 112351). Section 321 defines an emergency shelter as “a facility all or a part of which is used or designed to be used to provide temporary housing.” Participation of emergency shelters in HCNP was also based on this definition.
We recognize that most emergency shelters are charitable organizations that define their mission as helping all needy persons. The Bureau of the Census estimates that there are more than 6,000 emergency shelters nationwide; at least 70 percent of them serve individual adult clients.
However, the intent of Public Law 105-336 is to support at-risk children in temporary residential settings. Based on our experience with HCNP and SFSP, we believe that section 17(t) of the NSLA targets family shelters, shelters for battered women, and other facilities whose primary purpose is to provide temporary shelter to homeless families with children, to participate in CACFP.
Therefore, an emergency shelter providing temporary residence to children and their parents or guardians, or a temporary residential site for children and their parents or guardians sponsored by an emergency shelter, is eligible to participate in CACFP under the provisions of section 17(t). The shelter may be a public or private nonprofit institution that provides support to at-risk children and their families.
Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCI) - A temporary shelter for abused and runaway children is one type of RCCI included in the definition of “school,” in section 210.2 of the National School Lunch Program, and is therefore eligible for benefits through the school meals programs. Unlike family shelters, an RCCI may serve homeless children who reside there without their parents or guardians. An emergency shelter that serves only children will continue to be eligible as an RCCI and claim reimbursement for breakfasts and lunches served to children up to age 21 through the school nutrition programs.
Licensing and Approval Requirements - To participate in CACFP, an emergency shelter does not have to offer formal child care as recognized by a licensing authority. Unlike child care centers or family day care homes, there is no Federal requirement for emergency shelters operating under this provision to have either Federal, State, or local licensing or approval as a condition of eligibility (per section 17(t)(3) of the NSLA (42 U.S.C. 1766(t)(3))). Although shelters do not have to meet child care licensing standards to participate in CACFP, they must comply with all applicable State or local health and safety standards (per section 17(t)(4) of the NSLA (42
U.S.C. 1766(t)(4)).The shelter must have the appropriate inspections or permits to certify that proper health, sanitation, fire, and safety codes are met at all times.
Eligible Children - CACFP is primarily targeted to serving children in nonresidential settings. Unlike other institutions participating in CACFP, emergency shelters approved under the provisions of section 17(t) of the NSLA must serve residential children. Section 17(t)(5)(A)(i) of the NSLA (42 U.S.C. 1766(t)(5)(A)(i)) specifies that reimbursement may be claimed “…only for a meal or supplement served to children residing in an emergency shelter….”
Although some emergency shelters provide meals to non-homeless children and their families, it is clearly the intent of Congress to support at-risk children who temporarily reside in the facility where they receive their meals. Therefore, meals and snacks served to visiting children who are not residents of the shelter may not be claimed for reimbursement. This provision highlights an important difference with HCNP and SFSP where participants could claim reimbursement for meals and snacks served to children, regardless of whether every child served was a resident of the participating shelter. Under section 17(t), shelters will have to differentiate between residential children and children who are served meals as “walk-ins.”
Reimbursable meals and snacks may be served to residential children 12 years of age and younger. Migrant children age 15 and younger and children with disabilities, regardless of their age, may also receive CACFP meals and snacks at the emergency shelters where they reside.
Reimbursement - As in HCNP and SFSP, residential children who participate in the shelter’s food service will be automatically eligible for free meals and snacks, without further application. Although a shelter may collect cash, food stamps, or other in-kind payments from some residents for their meal services, it may not charge or collect payments for CACFP meals and snacks served to eligible children.
Emergency shelters may be approved to serve up to three reimbursable meals—break-fast, lunch, and supper—or two meals and one snack, to each child, each day, on weekdays and weekends.
The maximum payment rates are based on the numbers of meals and snacks served at the free rate in day care centers. Unlike participation in HCNP, claims for reimbursement will be processed by the CACFP administering agency which takes the agreement with the shelter. Meals which are consumed in private family quarters in an emergency shelter are not reimbursable. Generally, only meals served in congregate meal settings are eligible for reimbursement. An exception may be made for meals served in private family quarters that are part of an emergency shelter to infants from birth through age 11 months. Those meals may be claimed for reimbursement if the shelter provides all of the required components to the infant’s parent or guardian, and maintains records documenting that sufficient food has been served to meet the meal pattern requirements.
Applications - An emergency shelter may participate in CACFP as an independent shelter or as a sponsoring organization of one or more participating emergency shelters. The shelter must submit an application to the CACFP administering agency to participate in the program. The application would include an administrative budget, information about the numbers of children served, and statements regarding the shelter’s options for receiving commodities and advance payments. The shelter must document in its application that its primary purpose is to temporarily house and provide meals to children and their parents or guardians. The application must also include a description of how the shelter will ensure that reimbursement is claimed only for meals served to eligible children who reside there.
There is no limit on the number of facilities or children that an eligible emergency shelter may be approved to serve. A shelter that sponsors one or more facilities must complete a management plan, provide information describing each of its proposed facilities, and fulfill all of the other requirements of a sponsoring organization applying to participate in CACFP.
An emergency shelter may also participate in CACFP as a facility under an existing CACFP sponsoring organization that is a separate entity from the shelter. In this case, the sponsoring organization would follow standard CACFP procedures for adding a new facility to its agreement with the CACFP administering agency. The shelter would participate under the provisions of section 17(t)(1) of the NSLA (42 U.S.C. 1766(t)(1)).
Reporting and Recordkeeping - Meals and snacks will be included in the child care center portion of the FNS-44, Report of the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The number of participating emergency shelters and the average daily attendance will be reported quarterly on the FNS-44. A revised form will be available to permit reporting of those data. Draft copies of the proposed FNS-44 were sent to regional offices on February 26, 1999.
The State agency will prescribe meal counting and recordkeeping systems for meals served to eligible children and infants. As with all CACFP institutions, shelters must keep records that are adequate to determine the nonprofit status of the food service and proper utilization of CACFP funds. At a minimum, the State agency’s procedures should include requirements that the shelter maintain a daily roster of children receiving meals, total meal counts by type; and menus for infant meals and meals served to children.
Commodities - An approved shelter may receive CACFP reimbursement and commodities or cash-in-lieu of commodities for meals served to eligible children. A shelter may continue to receive and use commodity foods from The Emergency Food Assistance Program for the meals it serves to adults and children who are not eligible for CACFP, provided that its records are sufficient to establish the shelter’s allotments of commodities under each program.
Miscellaneous - CACFP institutions may not claim a program meal under more than one Federal program. However, an institution may use other funding sources to supplement the CACFP reimbursement for the same meal. Providers of meals to homeless children often serve a diverse clientele that include homeless and non-homeless adults and children. In those situations where a shelter’s total food service is not conducted exclusively for the benefit of eligible residential children, the shelter must keep separate records of the meals it serves. Meals served to non-eligible adults and children are not reimbursable.
1999 Transition to CACFP
Emergency shelters participating in HCNP and sponsors of homeless sites in SFSP may be reimbursed for meals and snacks served to eligible children through those programs, through June 30, 1999. Under the provisions of Public Law 105-336, most of them will apply to participate in CACFP to continue receiving meal benefits for resident children after that date. Delaying implementation until July 1999, has posed a number of administrative challenges for administering agencies. The status of the 85 sponsors currently receiving HCNP benefits and of SFSP sponsors of homeless sites (23 in the 1998 SFSP) must also be addressed.
Emergency Shelters in HCNP - Current participants in HCNP were alerted to the changes in the status of the program shortly after the law was enacted. As follow-up, the Child Nutrition Division, which administers HCNP, will formally notify those shelters that their final day of participation in HCNP is June 30, 1999, and that they will be eligible to participate in CACFP as of July 1, 1999. We will advise HCNP participants that to be eligible to receive uninterrupted meal service benefits, they should contact the appropriate CACFP administering agency in the States where they operate and complete their application requirements as early as possible.
Sponsors of Homeless Sites in SFSP - During the SFSP application process, State agencies should notify sponsors of homeless sites that effective July 1, 1999, emergency shelters are eligible to participate in CACFP. Sponsors that are interested in beginning CACFP program operations on July 1, 1999, should be encouraged to complete their applications with the appropriate State agency as early as possible.
Participation of Emergency Shelters in SFSP
If an emergency shelter wants to participate in SFSP past June 30, 1999, then it must establish its eligibility as an open site, an enrolled site, or a camp. We recommend that approval to participate in SFSP be based on one of those three eligibility determinations at the time of application for summer 1999.
Shelters that are located in areas which meet the area eligibility requirements for SFSP and which open their food service to non-residents as well as residents may qualify to participate in SFSP as area eligible sites. If the shelter applies to participate as an enrolled site, individual free and reduced price applications from parents or guardians will not be required. A list of children, certified by the shelter’s director, is sufficient to document the eligibility of children who are residents of emergency shelters. The list must include each child’s name, age, and beginning and ending dates (if applicable) of residence in the shelter, and the signature of the determining official.
An emergency shelter which also elects to participate in the CACFP would be subject to the provisions of FNS Instruction 782-4, Approval of Child Care Institutions for the Summer Food Service Program. This instruction states that a CACFP institution that meets SFSP eligibility criteria and develops a separate food service program for children who are not enrolled in CACFP may be approved to participate in SFSP. CACFP institutions which do not substantially change their program activities or significantly increase their program enrollment during periods which school is not in session may not be approved to participate in SFSP.
An institution which is approved to claim reimbursement under both the CACFP and the SFSP must ensure that the same children are not served meals in both programs. The institution must also ensure that it keeps separate records to justify all costs and meals claimed for CACFP and for SFSP.
Summary
Section 107(j) of Public Law 105-336 encourages emergency shelters to participate in CACFP. This memorandum addresses the questions you have raised about the participation of emergency shelters in CACFP and SFSP and ensuring that these benefits reach eligible children. Please share this information with your State agencies. If you have any questions concerning any of the issues addressed in this memorandum, please contact Melissa Rothstein or Susan Ponemon.
Stanley C. Garnett Director Child Nutrition Division