How To Get Food Stamps In Delaware

How To Renew Your Food Stamps In Delaware

Just before enrollees SNAP claims are about to expire, beneficiaries must submit a food stamps renewal form in Delaware to continue receiving benefits. Similar to when applicants first filed petitions for SNAP, they have the opportunities to renew food stamps online or by submitting paper applications to the department. In any case, it is imperative that enrollees make sure to file their food stamps renewal application before their claim periods expire. Missing this deadline will result in applicants experiencing temporary losses in benefits until their new petitions can be successfully filed with the DHSS.

What Can I Buy With Ebt In Delaware

You are allowed to use your food stamps benefits card to buy foods that your household will prepare to eat at home, including the following

• breads and cereals
• Seeds and plants to produce food for the household to eat
• Soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers, and ice cream
• Seafood, steak, and bakery cakes
• Energy drinks that have a nutrition facts label
• Energy drinks that have a supplement facts label are classified by the FDA as supplements and are therefore not eligible

Now that you know what you can buy with your SNAP card, here is the list of things you CANNOT buy with the card:

• Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco
• Any nonfood items, such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, diapers, and household supplies
• Vitamins and medicines
• Food that will be eaten in the store
• Hot foods
• Live animals

NOTE: In some areas, restaurants can be authorized to accept SNAP benefits from qualified homeless, elderly, or disabled people in exchange for low-cost meals.

Emergency Funds Help Thousands Of Delaware Snap Recipients

By November 24, 2020

A Transportation Security Administration employee stands at a booth to learn about a food stamp program at a food drive at Newark Liberty International Airport to help government employees who are working without pay during the partial government shutdown, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019, in Newark, N.J.

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Congress may have stalled on approval of a second round of stimulus help for Americans struggling to make ends meet during the coronavirus pandemic, but SNAP recipients in Delaware have been able to get a little more money to buy food.

Delawareans who get SNAP benefits, often referred to as food stamps, got emergency funding this week as part of additional help offered to recipients each month since the pandemic started.

In order to get resources to people who are the most vulnerable or the most in need, our federal partners and our state government have authorized us to provide emergency benefits for SNAP clients, said Ray Fitzgerald, who leads the state Division of Social Services. What the rules allow us to do is for families or individuals who dont currently receive the maximum benefit in those programs, it allows us to now provide the maximum benefit to them.

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More than 35,000 households were eligible to get the extra benefits in November, totaling about $7.9 million.

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Other Eligibility Requirements To Get The Ebt Card And Food Stamps Benefits

In addition to the three main food stamps eligibility requirements, there are so-called Other Eligibility Requirements. Notably, as a food stamps recipient, you must have a social security number and be a citizen or lawfully present non-citizen.

Different applicant categories have various additional eligibility requirements for getting food stamps benefits in their EBT card account every month.

If you are under the age of 18, pregnant, disabled, or elderly, you may be exempt from the work requirements. All others without dependents can get the food stamps and the EBT card but for a limited time in a total of 3 months for 36 months. Here, there are exemptions also like enrolling in a state-approved workforce program or training for a new job.

Also, each state may have additional specific requirements that must be met to qualify for food stamps and get the EBT card. Learn more about Who is eligible for SNAP benefits in Delaware?

The SNAP or Food Stamps help specific categories of low-income individuals that need food assistance.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

In the United States, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance for low- and no-income people. It is a federal aid program, administered by the United States Department of Agriculture under the Food and Nutrition Service , though benefits are distributed by specific departments of U.S. states .

SNAP benefits supplied roughly 40 million Americans in 2018, at an expenditure of $57.1 billion. Approximately 9.2% of American households obtained SNAP benefits at some point during 2017, with approximately 16.7% of all children living in households with SNAP benefits. Beneficiaries and costs increased sharply with the Great Recession, peaked in 2013 and have declined through 2017 as the economy recovered. It is the largest nutrition program of the 15 administered by FNS and is a key component of the social safety net for low-income Americans.

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How To Apply For Delaware Food Stamps And The Ebt Card

To get the EBT Card and use it in the Delaware food stamps authorized stores first, you must get approved for food stamps benefits from the Delaware food stamp office.

The Delaware Division of Social Services administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , or the food stamps as it is generally known in Delaware and elsewhere.

The Delaware Division of Social Services provides the food stamps application or the SNAP application. You can get it also from any local DSS offices in your area. Complete the SNAP application for food assistance and bring it to the food stamp office or mail it to the address printed on the form.

Also, you can apply for Delaware food stamps benefits online by visiting the Delaware ASSIST website. You have to register and open an account with Delaware DSS. Then you must fill in all the required information online. When your application is complete, the local food stamp office in the area where you live will receive it. Next, you will get an appointment for an interview with a DSS food assistance worker.

Once approved for Delaware food assistance, you will get mailed your EBT card. The EBT card can buy you the food you need in all Delaware food stamps authorized stores listed on this webpage table.

Participating Retail Locations In Delaware

ALDI

Search for participating store locations and shop online at Shop.Aldi.US or Instacart.com or use the Instacart mobile app.

for instructions on how to pay with your EBT card online at Aldi.

AMAZON

Shop online at or use the AMAZON mobile app.

for instructions on how to pay with your EBT card online at Amazon.

Available statewide through and .

FOOD LION

Search for participating store locations and shop online at Instacart.com or use the Instacart mobile app. EBT is available to use only on the Instacart Marketplace for Food Lion. EBT payment is not available on Shop.FoodLion.com or the Food Lion To-Go mobile app at this time.

for instructions on how to pay with your EBT card online at Instacart Marketplace for Food Lion.

GIANT

Search for participating store locations and shop online at GiantFood.com or use the Giant Food mobile app.

For instructions on how to pay with your EBT card online at Giant:

• Scroll to the bottom of Giant’s homepage
• Search for “SNAP”

SHOPRITE

Search for participating store locations and shop online at ShopRite.com or use the ShopRite mobile app.

for instructions on how to pay with your EBT card online at ShopRite.

WALMART

Search for participating store locations and shop online at Walmart.com/Grocery or use the Walmart Grocery mobile app.

for instructions on how to pay with your EBT card online at Walmart.

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Should I Apply For Delaware Food Stamps

If youve hit tough times and are struggling to afford food for yourself or your family, you should consider applying for food stamps.

The food stamps program is a federal entitlement program. This means anyone who is eligible will receive benefits. You will not be taking away benefits from someone else if you apply.

In addition, the food stamps program is a nutrition program and not a welfare cash assistance program . You do not have to be receiving TANF to get food stamps.

What You Can Buy With Your Delaware Food First Card

Below is a list of eligible food stamp items that you can purchase using your Delaware EBT card. These food items can be purchased at stores that accept EBT food stamps. The aim of the Delaware SNAP benefits program is to provide nutritious foods to eligible low income individuals and families. As a general rule you can use your Delaware EBT card to buy any food items except for food that is hot when sold, or food that’s sold to be eaten in the store, like restaurant food. In some locations restaurants could be authorized to accept the Delaware Food First Card from qualified disabled, elderly, or homeless people in exchange for low-cost meals.

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Snap Online Purchasing Pilot

Delaware’s SNAP Online Purchasing Program is part of a USDA pilot program to provide SNAP recipients with greater access to healthy and fresh food options. The program started in a few states in 2019 to test the feasibility and implications of allowing retail food stores to accept SNAP benefits through online transactions. The USDA opened the program to all states in the spring of 2020 to give individuals and families an additional way to shop for groceries during the COVID-19 emergency, which resulted in new health and safety guidelines that have made it challenging for many households to travel and shop.

The Division of Social Services is implementing SNAP Online Purchasing to ensure that SNAP recipients have equal access to food purchasing options and can meet their food needs during the pandemic.

Retailer Requirements

Retailers who are interested in providing online purchasing capabilities for SNAP EBT must be authorized by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service to participate.

to learn more about the retailer requirements to provide online purchasing to SNAP households.

Do You Qualify For The Delaware Assist

Before going through the application process, it is important to determine whether or not you qualify to receive food stamp benefits. ASSIST provides a pre-screening program that will determine if you are potentially eligible to receive these benefits. To see if you qualify, access the Delaware ASSIST Screening Tool.

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The College Student Hunger Act Of 2019

Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Al Lawson introduced The College Student Hunger Act of 2019 on July 17, 2019, in an attempt to extend SNAP benefits for college students in need. The idea was to include both Pell Grant-eligible students and independent students. Warren and Lawson both believe that students have a right to both food and education, and the goal was to alleviate financial tension. This bill has been endorsed by several organizations including Bread for the World. Specifically, the Act would allow Pell-Grant eligible and independent students to qualify for benefits, lowers the 20 hours/week work requirement to 10 hours/week, and requires the Department of Education to notify Pell Grant eligible students of their SNAP eligibility. The student hunger pilot program will test different ways students can use SNAP benefits such as directly at the dining hall or indirectly to help pay for student meal plans.

Other Important Food Stamps Qualifications In Delaware

Even if you have program eligibility based on your income and legal presence, there are a few other requirements you may need to meet. First, you must have a Social Security Number in order to get food stamps benefits.

If any person in your household does not have an SSN, he or she cannot get assistance. However, it is possible to qualify for food stamps for a brief period while waiting for an SSN to be assigned.

Second, if you are between 18 and 59 years of age, you may also need to register for work in order to get assistance for an extended period of time. You will only have food stamps eligibility for a few months if you do not meet the work requirements.

When you register for work, you agree to participate in job training, accept reasonable job offers or work a minimum number of hours per week. You may already meet the work requirements if you are currently employed.

Note: The work rules may not apply if you are disabled, pregnant or raising dependents

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Apply For Delaware Assist

If the Delaware ASSIST Screening tool found you as eligible to receive benefits, the next step in the process to complete an application for the program. To complete an online application, visit the Delaware ASSIST webpage. After clicking the Apply Now button, you will be asked to create an account for your application. Once youve done so, you can go ahead and complete the application for submission.

How to Apply for Delaware SNAP Online

For more help completing your application for Delaware food assistance benefits and instructions on how to apply online via the DE ASSIST website, watch our video below.

Find Out About Snap Benefits In Delaware

Once you are approved for the SNAP program, you will receive an EBT card that you may use at select locations in order to buy groceries for your family. Its important to know that some products are ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits despite being available in a grocery store. For example, you may not purchase any non-food items with your benefits, such as:

• Pet food.
• Diapers.
• Household items.

You also may not purchase alcohol, live animals, medicine, vitamins or supplements with your benefits. Finally, you may not purchase prepared or hot food using SNAP food stamps. In order to establish whether or not a food item would be considered prepared, you may try to look for labels like grab-and-go or hot-and-ready. Any food that is designed for immediate consumption may not be purchased with SNAP food benefits. For more information on what you may purchase using SNAP benefits, .

Despite some restrictions, there are several options for you to purchase using your SNAP benefits to ensure that your family has a healthy and balanced diet. Staple foods, or foods that make up the majority of a healthy diet, are all available for purchase using your benefits. These include:

• Dairy products.
• Fruits and vegetables.
• Bread and cereals.

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