• Hawaii's SNAP Program prevents children from low-income families from going hungry.dinner image by anna karwowska from Fotolia.com
  
  The Supplement Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamp Program, provides assistance to thousands of needy families in Hawaii, including individuals trying to get off welfare and become self-sufficient. Recipients receive a monthly allotment equivalent to the maximum household allotment minus 30 percent of monthly net income. The maximum allotment is given to households with no income. In 2008, SNAP enabled approximately 47,545 Hawaiian families, as well as 96,956 individuals, put food on their tables.
  
  

Eligibility

• Applicants must be over 18 and be a resident of the state of Hawaii and have a valid Social Security number. Legal aliens must have documentation certifying their citizenship. Applicants must meet certain income guidelines to qualify for SNAP benefits. Able-bodied adult applicants may need to meet certain work requirements in order to qualify.
  
  

Assets

• A household must have less than $2,000 in assets to qualify for SNAP. A household may have $3,000 in assets if the household has one member who is disabled or over the age of 60. Resources such as a home, lot or automobile are not counted in determining eligibility.
  
  

Gross Income

• Gross monthly income must not exceed 130 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. This comes out to $2,282 for a family of three (effective Oct. 1, 2009). Income may include all cash payments a household receives, with exceptions as specified by state law or program regulations.
  
  

Net Income

• Net income must not exceed 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. This comes out to $1,755 for a family of three (effective Oct. 1, 2009). Net income is the total household gross income minus approved deductions such as child care, housing costs and other expenses. Only net income is counted for households with a disabled or elderly member.
  
  

Income Changes

• SNAP recipients must report any income changes while they are receiving aid. This includes tax refunds, Social Security benefits, child support, unemployment compensation, proceeds from property purchase or sale, or lump-sum payments. Changes in the number of persons living in the household, address or living arrangements must also be reported to prevent overpayment of benefits. Applicants must also report insurance monies received for a covered injury and changes in medical insurance coverage. Recipients may also be required to submit a monthly eligibility report even if there is no change in income. Failure to report changes in income may result in prosecution. Benefits recipients will be responsible for repaying any overpayments received because of unreported changes in income and/or household circumstances.