The process necessary to start receiving food stamps on government websites may seem overwhelming at first, but it is not as difficult as it may seem. This simplified outline has taken out all of the extra floating information, and provided an easy to follow, step-by-step approach to start receiving food stamps.
How to Start
The local Food Stamp or Social Security office is the place to start. To find out where the closest office is, go to this website and look for the number next to the appropriate state. If there are problems with the state-provided phone number, try calling 1-800-221-5689 to locate the nearest Food Stamp office.
Call that number and ask for the location of the nearest Food Stamp or Social Security office that accepts applications for food stamps. Also ask if applying online is possible for that state.
Do not hang up until the employee fully explains where the office is or gives a number to call to reach the office.
Obtain an Application
If the closest office is too far away, ask to have the application mailed out. If that is not possible, try calling a different office.
If the state allows online applications, then this is even better.
Filling Out the Application
The application should be looked over very carefully. Make sure that everything is accounted for, and if anyone disabled or aged 60 or older is living in the household, be sure to include that on the application.
For help filling out the application, ask an employee at the Food Stamp or Social Security office. For assistance at home, call the office or try asking a friend or family member.
When finished, return the application to the nearest Food Stamp or Social Security office and ask the employee to schedule an interview.
Be sure to ask the employee to write down everything that must be brought to the interview. The employee may already have an informational sheet handy which lists all of the necessary paperwork to bring to the interview.
If the office cannot support interviews in their building, request a phone interview. If uncomfortable or nervous about the interview, request to have a friend or family member go as well.
Preparing for the Interview
Once the interview date is set, be sure to prepare all of the necessary paperwork from the employee's list. Feel free to bring a friend or community leader to the interview as well.
To make sure that the office cannot later deny that all necessary paperwork was brought, be sure to ask the employee to make copies of the paperwork. Make sure that the employee remembers to give back all of the original copies.
Be yourself at the interview. Do not worry about impressing the interviewer; the interviewer is not a future boss. As long as all of the questions are answered and there is a clear qualification for food stamps, it would be illegal for the interviewer to say no for any other reason.
After the Interview
If accepted, then it's time to go grocery shopping!
If denied, always, without any exception, ask the employee why. Never simply accept the employee's answer and leave.
If it feels like the employee made a mistake, always ask for what is called a “fair hearing.” This means that a representative from the State will meet with both parties to discuss the application.
If the State representative sides with the Food Stamp office, but it still looks like there was a mistake or an unfair denial, seek legal action. Get a group of people together and ask an attorney about presenting a class action law suit against the local Food Stamp office. The attorney will help you from then on.
Good luck.
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