How To Get Food Stamps In Arkansas

Learn How To Apply To State Food Programs For Seniors

To apply for either program:

• Select your state or territory from this nutrition programs contact map.

• From the list of available programs, choose a food program for seniors:

• Commodity Supplemental Food Program

• Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program

If either program is not on the list, you may not live in an area that offers the program.

How To Find A North Little Rock Food Stamp Office In Arkansas

Below is a list of all the Arkansas food stamp office locations in North Little Rock. If you have any questions about enrolling in SNAP or about your current claim, contact one of these facilities. Generally, you have the option of contacting these facilities by phone or visiting them in person.

• Pulaski North 1900 East Washington Avenue North Little Rock Arkansas 72119 501-682-0100

Applying For An Fns Number

SNAP benefits are issued through the USDA Food and Nutrition Service and its nationwide network of FNS field offices. The state FNS office is the first stop for accepting SNAP at your market. Youll need to fill out an application, which is available online through the FNS website, www.fns.usda.gov/snap, or you may contact the Little Rock FNS office at 501-324-5858. Read detailed instructions in How to Apply for an FNS Number.

Once you are approved, you will receive an FNS number and will be eligible to accept SNAP at your market.

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Director Of Snap Outreach

Lance Whitney has been actively involved with the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance since 2015. Lance was introduced to the Alliance by attending fundraisers for the organization and learning about the need to fight food insecurity in the state. Lance co-chaired Serving Up Solutions for two years and then began working for the Alliance in 2017. Before coming to the Alliance, he graduated from the University of Arkansas in Industrial Management and worked for 22 years in Manufacturing and Design. As a native Arkansan who had begun to better understand food insecurity, he easily accepted the opportunity to work in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Outreach division of the Alliance. Every community in the state of Arkansas can greatly benefit from the SNAP program: SNAP helps boost local economies, improve community health, and provide hungry individuals and families with the help they need. Lances mission is to increase SNAP availability to every Arkansas county. This will be achieved through building, training and supporting a network that reaches the food insecure and through educating community supporters statewide

How To Apply For Snap In

It is also possible to apply for food stamps in person by visiting your local DHS office. At the office, you can pick up a form and fill it out while you wait. Alternatively, you can print the application from the DHS website and complete it before visiting the office. Doing this may save time during your visit.

When you apply for SNAP in person, it may be possible to complete all of the necessary steps during a single visit. If the DHS office is able to interview you the same day, it may help to come prepared with all of the paperwork and documents you need to provide.

Find out more about the SNAP application process by .

How to Check Your SNAP Application Status in Arkansas

If you requested food stamps online, you may log into your account to check whether your application has been processed. It is also possible to get your application status by contacting the DHS office that filed your form.

You may find that you do not need to check status of SNAP application materials due to the fact that requests are usually processed quickly. In most cases, you will receive an answer in no more than one month. Applications are processed much more quickly if the DHS determines that you need emergency assistance.

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Maximum Monthly Amounts On Food Stamps

There is a maximum monthly allotment based on the size of the household. When determining your benefit allotment, they will take your net monthly income and multiply it by 30%. That number will then be subtracted from the maximum monthly allotment. The remaining amount is the total monthly allotment you will receive based on your application. This amount may change if your income or household size changes.

SNAP benefits are a specific money amount provided to recipients each month to go towards nutritional foods. Recipients are provided with an electronic benefits transfer card, and money is added to the card each month. You can check your balance by phone, and any unused funds at the end of the month remain on the card to be used to following month. Once allocated, benefits will not expire.

Benefits can be used to buy food and drinks at most grocery stores, convenient stores, gas stations, pharmacies that sell food, and farmers markets. Benefits cannot be used to buy alcohol, tobacco, medicine, hot food, food meant to be eaten in the store, or any non-food items.

Home Phone And Cell Phone Services

If you are currently on Food Stamps, and your income is below a certain level, you may qualify for FREE or low-cost cell phone or home phone service for you or a member of your family through the FederalLifeline Program, which serves nearly 13 million Americans.

This program provides discounts on cell phone service or home phone service for qualifying low-income consumers, including those on Food Stamps. Here are the companies that participate in the program in the state of Arkansas.

There are different companies providing cell phone and home phone service. Be sure to view the Type of Service column to make sure you are selecting the right company.

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Help Paying Your Rent

DHS has two programs that can help you pay your rent if you are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Arkansas Rent Relief Program launches May 17 and you can apply starting that day at ar.gov/rentrelief. The other assistance is paid for through the federal Emergency Solutions Grant Program. You must apply with the organization in your county that is handling this program for DHS. You can find a list on our website.

If you live in Benton, Pulaski, or Washington counties, these counties have their own rent relief programs and are already accepting applications. You can apply online: Benton, Pulaski, or Washington.

Learn About Arkansas Food Stamps Requirements

Your food stamps eligibility in Arkansas is determined by the Department of Human Services . If you want to apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , note that the main food stamp qualifications relate to your income and resources.

Factors such as your family size, age or disability may affect the level of income and resources you need to qualify. While some factors vary depending on your circumstances, other qualifications relate to every applicant.

If you believe you may be eligible for the program, you can submit an application to the DHS right away. Depending on your situation, you can receive benefits within one month or less if you are eligible. It is important to note that your eligibility for the program can also change in the future. Below, learn how to qualify for food stamps and discover which factors affect your eligibility.

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I Need Snap Assistance Now It Is An Emergency

Some households may get Expedited Services that is getting Food Assistance Benefits within 7 calendar days if your household has less than $150 in monthly gross income and liquid resources of $100 or less or your rent/mortgage and utilities are more than your households combined monthly income and liquid resources or a member of your household is a migrant or seasonal farm worker.

Arkansas Food Stamps Requirements

The Arkansas food stamps requirements are in place throughout the country to help the DHS develop a uniform plan for determining who can qualify for SNAP. These requirements for food stamps first indicate that candidates must be legal residents in the state. Furthermore, food stamps are generally only available to claimants who:

• Qualify as low-income according to the states definition.
• Are unemployed or are working part-time jobs.
• Have a disability or live with a family member who does.
• Are elderly or have an elderly individual residing in their households.
• Are homeless or qualify for other public benefits programs.

When it comes to financial food stamps eligibility requirements, the DHS establishes maximum income and resource limits in order to determine who may receive SNAP. Eligible candidates must fall into one of two categories:

• Scenario A: Claimants must have less than $2,001 in their bank accounts. In this situation, accounts refers to both savings and checking accounts.
• Scenario B: Similar to Scenario A, this situation applies directly to households with disabled family members or members who are older than 60 years of age. In order to qualify under this stipulation, petitioning families must have less than $3,001 in their accounts.

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About Snap Recertification In Arkansas

When you apply for benefits, you can only get assistance for a set amount of time. This means recertification is required if you wish to continue receiving benefits.

The food stamp renewal process is similar to the steps you took to submit your original application. To recertify, you will need to provide all of your updated information and verify any required details with the DHS.

How Do I Get An Arkansas Ebt Card Replacement

To report your card lost, stolen, damaged, or not received in the mail call the Arkansas EBT Customer Service number at 1-800-997-9999.

If your EBT card is stolen and benefits are used these benefits cannot be replaced.

You can also call the number above for the following:

• To report your card lost, stolen, damaged, or not received in the mail.
• To know the date your benefits will be available in your account each month.
• To know if your benefits have been deposited into your account and get your account balance.
• To hear your last 10 transactions.
• To file a claim if you question a transaction in your account.
• If you want to select or change your PIN.
• If your card does not work.
• To find the nearest location where you can use your card.
• If you have other questions about or problems with your card.

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Who Is Eligible For Arkansas Food Stamps

The food stamps program is SNAP focused on helping low-income individuals and families, predominantly serving households with children, elderly or disabled members.

Nearly half of all food stamps participants are children.

Eligibility for SNAP is limited to people with gross incomes up to 130% of the federal poverty line.

This means that a family of four can make no more than $2,790 a month to receive benefits.

Able-bodied adults without dependents can only receive three months of benefits during any three-year period if theyre not working a minimum of 20 hours per week or participating in a training program.

There are several requirements you have to meet to be approved for Arkansas food stamps and EBT, however, the most important is the income limit.

As stated above, to be eligible for food stamps, your gross income cannot exceed 130% of the federal poverty line.

In addition, after deductions are taken out, your net income cannot exceed 100% of the poverty level.

Find Out If You Or Your Children Are Eligible For The Wic Program

• If youre applying for yourself, you must be at least one of the following:

• Pregnant

• Breastfeeding

• Within six months of having given birth or pregnancy ending

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Who Cannot Apply For Food Stamps

You are not eligible for Arkansas Food Stamps if you fall under one or more of these:

• If you have been convicted of drug trafficking
• Are running away from a felony warrant
• Have intentionally violated a court-ordered program
• Are a student in an institution of higher education . Have committed food stamps fraud or have broken Food Assistance Program rules on purpose
• You are are a non-citizen without a qualified status

What Are The Snap Income Guidelines In Arkansas

Meeting the program income guidelines is the next step in applying for assistance. Generally speaking, your income must be at or below 130 percent of the poverty level to qualify.

However, the specific food stamp income guidelines can vary based on your household composition. For example, you can qualify with a slightly higher income if you live in an elderly or disabled household. Similarly, elderly and disabled households are allowed to qualify with more resources.

In any case, the income requirements for food stamps are based on your household size. A household is defined as any group of people who lives together and shares meals, whether you are related or not.

When determining if you meet these guidelines, you must count the income and resources of each person in the household. Income includes anything that you receive as payment for work or services. Resources, on the other hand, includes things such as:

• Bank accounts.

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Definition Of A Household

When determining eligibility, you need to provide information on all members of the household. A household, for this situation, is defined as all individuals that live together and purchase and prepare meals together. Likewise, you may have people living with you that are not considered part of your household. For example, if you rent a room to someone that does not purchase or prepare food with you, they are not part of your household. However, whatever they pay you for rent has to be counted under income.

There are two exceptions to this definition. The first is a household that includes a husband, wife, and children under 22 years of age. This group will be considered a household even if they purchase and prepare meals separately. The second exception is elderly or disabled individuals that are unable to purchase and prepare their meals independently and live with others that do.

Food Stamps For The Elderly & Disabled

It has been mentioned in the above eligibility requirements that households containing an elderly or disabled individual are held to different requirements. This includes increased limits for both income and resources. In order to fall under the special eligibility requirements, the following definitions are used.

Elderly:

• Someone that is 60 years old or older.

Disabled:

• Receives benefits through SSI, social security disability, or blindness payments.
• Receives disability or blindness payments through a state program that follows the rules of SSI.
• Receives disability retirement benefits through a government agency due to a disability that is deemed permanent according to the Social Security Act.
• Eligible for Medicare or disabled according to SSI rules and receives annuity payments under the Railroad Retirement Act.
• A veteran who is disabled, homebound, or in need of consistent aid.
• The surviving spouse or child of a veteran who is considered permanently disabled and receiving VA benefits.

SNAP eligibility is extended to many non-citizens based on their immigration status. In order to be eligible for SNAP, you must fit in one of the following qualified alien categories.

In order for non-citizens to be eligible for SNAP, they must fit into one of the above categories as well as meet one of the following conditions.

What non-citizen groups are ineligible for SNAP based on their citizenship status? There are five groups that are considered ineligible.

Excludes all vehicles

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