Florida Food Stamp Information

About

The nation's food stamp program began in 1939 and has undergone many changes since that time. In early 2000, legislative changes led to renaming the program -- now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In 2009, about 1.95 million Floridians participated in the SNAP program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that in 2010, the average monthly benefit per person in the program was $141.40.

The purpose of the SNAP program is to provide access to healthy food for low-income households. Administration of the program in Florida is through the Department of Children and Families (DCF). The program seeks to supplement a household's existing food budget. DCF considers everyone in the household when calculating assistance needs, regardless of their buying and eating habits. Florida residency is required for the program and participants must provide a Social Security number.

To determine eligibility, the SNAP program reviews all income that a household receives. The gross income limit is 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). If a household contains a disqualifying member (criminal offenders, previous program offenders), the gross income limit is 130 percent of FPL.

Individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) automatically meet the asset limit. These individuals may qualify for the SUNCAP Program, a food assistance program for SSI recipients.

Healthy adults with no dependents may only receive assistance for three months during a three-year period if they are not employed or participating in a work program. Women expecting a child or who have a child under the age of five, may also qualify for the WIC program. WIC provides food and nutrition education. Enrollment is not dependent on participation in the SNAP program but applicants must meet income requirements.

SNAP participants receive an EBT card for food purchases. A complete list of retailers is listed on the DCF website, however most stores such as Publix, Wal-Mart, Target and Winn-Dixie accept the cards (see Resources). The card does not cover purchases of alcoholic beverages, pet foods, household supplies or store prepared hot foods. Seeds and food plants are covered as they can be used to grow food for the household.