How to Qualify for Food Stamps in Pennsylvania
- 1). Visit Pennsylvania's Department of Public Welfare website and view the SNAP income-limits table to determine whether your family is within the income limits for your household size. The income-limits table only takes into account the monthly gross income, not net income. Therefore, your family's assets, such as a savings account, retirement account, vehicles or home, aren't considered in determining your eligibility. If your family's monthly gross income is more than the limit, you may not necessarily be ineligible. The Department of Public Welfare advises that the only way to be certain whether you are eligibility for SNAP is to apply. Costs such as housing, child care and dependent-care payments identified on your application are deducted from your family's income, which could bring your monthly gross income within the income limits.
- 2). Maintain consistent employment or provide a written statement proving good cause for current unemployment. As a provision of the SNAP program, applicants and recipients over the age of 15 and less than 60 years of age that are physically and mentally able to work must actively register for employment or maintain an employed status for at least 30 hours per week. Failure to comply with SNAP work requirements could result in denial of your application or SNAP benefit revocation.
- 3). Obtain a SNAP application from the Department of Public Welfare website or from your county assistance office. List the names, birthdates and Social Security numbers of all household members. Include as much information as possible on household income and expenses, such as daycare or health insurance, and provide a copy of these expenses with the application. Your family receives deductions from the gross monthly income for certain expenses, which could increase your allotted SNAP benefit if your family qualifies for assistance.
- 4). Ask your employer or a witness to sign the form, and have him provide his address and phone number as well. Return the form to your local county assistance office.
Source...