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Economic Assistance
Children and Family Services
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps recipients buy food, which raises nutrition levels among low-income households. A household may be one person or a group of people who buy and make their food together.

In order to be eligible for SNAP, a family must meet certain tests, including resource and income tests.

SNAP benefits can only be used to buy food. Alcoholic beverages, pet food, tobacco, paper products, or other nonfood items can't be purchased with SNAP benefits. The benefit amount is placed on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. EBT cards are accepted by most supermarkets and grocery stores. Some "Meals on Wheels" services may accept them, and recipients over age 60 and their spouses may be able to use them to pay for congregate meals.



There have been reports of the general public receiving unsolicited calls from what appears to be the SNAP toll free information hotline number: (800) 221-5689.  The unsolicited callers are requesting personal information offering assistance for filling out a SNAP application or other non-SNAP related services such as home security systems. Never provide personal information or your credit card number over the phone to unsolicited callers. This outside entity that has “spoofed" the SNAP toll free information hotline number is not affiliated with the US Food & Nutrition Services (FNS) or SNAP. If you suspect that you are receiving illegitimate calls from (800) 221-5689, you may file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). If you have already fallen victim to this or a similar scam, please visit: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ for more information on identity theft.