The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP for short, is a U.S. government program that provides food assistance to low or no income individuals and families.
If you are thinking about applying for SNAP benefits, or, if you’re already getting them, it’s important that you understand the ins and outs of the program. In this post, you are going to learn five surprising things about SNAP benefits, so that you can maximize your experience and get the benefits you need.
5 Surprising Things About SNAP Benefits
1. 1 in 10 U.S. Residents Receives SNAP Assistance
Perhaps the most shocking thing about SNAP benefits is how many people get them. Over 30 million people living in the U.S. are currently getting SNAP aid. That’s one out of every ten people.
As you might expect, there is a higher percentage of people getting food assistance in areas with high crime and high unemployment. On the other hand, affluent areas have fewer SNAP recipients. But with that said, even high-class neighborhoods have lots of people getting SNAP benefits. All it takes is a job loss or other unfortunate circumstance, and the next thing you know, you don’t have enough money to put food on the table.
2. SNAP Money Is Usually Paid Electronically
SNAP funds are typically added to an Electronic Benefits Card, which is also called an EBT card. Each state has its own system for distributing and funding EBT cards. Visit this link to learn more about which EBT program is available near you.
Something to keep in mind. In most cases, EBTs are administered by a third-party vendor. For example, in a number of states like Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri, EBT cards are administered by EBT Edge. ConnectEBT services many other states as well, including, for example, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Michigan.
3. You Can Still Have a Job and Collect SNAP Benefits
A large number of people that collect SNAP benefits have a job. They simply don’t earn enough money to cover all of their necessary living expenses and pay for groceries on top of it.
Let’s say you have a job that pays $500 each week, or $2,000 each month. After taxes and insurance payments, you might be looking at $1,600 in your bank account. If your rent or mortgage payment costs $800, you only have $800 left to cover all of your other expenses, such as your utility bills, car bills, health bills, credit card bills, loan payments, and everything else. This is why you might still qualify for SNAP benefits, even if you have a job.
4. Larger Families Get More SNAP Money
The more people that live in your household, the more SNAP money you can get. SNAP recipients are supposed to be able to spend around 30% of their income on food and nutrition.
If you have just two people in your household, you are most likely looking at a maximum payment of $355 each month. If you have eight people in your household, you can get close to $1,200.
Visit this link to learn more about the current eligibility requirement and benefit amounts.
5. SNAP Fraud Can Land You In Jail
The U.S. government is very serious about making sure people follow the rules when using SNAP money. It is illegal to lie about your income, or family size, in order to increase your chances of getting SNAP benefits. It is also illegal to exchange your SNAP money for cash. They are also very strict that retailers and shops follow the rules as well, people who break the law could be looking at jail time.
