Technorati Tags: Pennsylvania Food Stamps

Food Assistance from the Pennsylvania Food Stamps Program

If you’re in the state of Pennsylvania living and need food assistance, you should go to the nearest Pennsylvania County Assistance office. They will help low income households buy food, for their family. Their goal is to help provide Pennsylvania families with healthy and nutritious diets. If you are looking for their aid, you can apply at on of your local Assistant Offices.

When applying for Pennsylvania Food Stamps, you must be someone of responsibility within the household. You can apply if you are the:

· Head of the household.

· Spouse of the head of the household.

· A designated authorized representative, friend, relative, or neighbor that you are comfortable with using for food stamps and helping you with your business overall.

You application must provide the Pennsylvania with the totals of your household earned income or wages and salaries. The Pennsylvania Food Stamp Program needs the monthly amounts of your family’s unearned income or:

· The total of any Public assistance payments you receive.

· The total of Supplemental Security Income or your SSI amount.

· The total of any Unemployment Compensation you are awarded monthly.

· The total of any Retirement benefits you receive.

· The total of any disability benefits you are awarded and

· The total of any pensions you receive.

This income will determine the allotted amount your family will be given each month in food stamps. The Pennsylvania Food Stamps program will use your income and the amount of people who live in your home to determine how much funds they can award you in food aid.

Once you have completed your application, you are expected to attend an interview with your case worker who will go over any questions you might have. Your case worker will give you a list of any documents needed for further processing of your application. Your case worker would be your point of contact person regarding your food stamp status.

If approved, you will receive a letter of approval from the Pennsylvania Food Stamps program, this letter will inform you of the amount you can expect to receive in funds for food. The letter will explain how your funds will be sent to you, or how to use your EBT card. The Electronic Balance Transfer card will hold all the monies allotted to your family for food.

Your EBT card can be replaced if lost by calling the number on the back of the card. Your new EBT card will be sent as soon as possible. If your PIN or Personal Identification Number is given out any missing funds on your account will not be refunded and you will continue to be responsible for them.

If for any reason you were not found eligible you have the right to appeal this decision. You have the right to contact your local County Assistance Office of your decision to appeal. They will review your case for a second time to determine if you can be approved.

Technorati Tags: Pennsylvania Food Stamps

This site is designed to provide you with information regarding Pennsylvania

food stamps. Pennsylvania food stamp is a program that helps provide food for low income individuals and their family members. In order to receive Pennsylvania food stamps an individual must fill out and submit an application form which will be reviewed to determine if you meet the criteria set for the food stamp program.

What is the criteria

In order to qualify for the food stamp program you must meet certain guidelines, these guidelines have to do with your income your assets and the size of your household.

Maximum gross and net monthly income limits

Household size Gross monthly income Net monthly income

1 $1127 $867

2 $1517 $1167

3 $1907 $1467

4 $2297 $1767

5 $2687 $2067

6 $3077 $2367

7 $3467 $2667

8 $3857 $2967

Each additional member+$390 +$300

Besides your income you must also be a legal US citizen or resident there are some exceptions regarding immigrants who have been in the US for at least five years and fall on their one of the following categories.

* lawful permanent resident of the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), including Amerasian,

* refugee admitted under section 207 of the INA,

* granted asylum under section 208 of the INA,

* paroled under section 212(d)(5) of the INA for at least one year,

* deportation withheld under 243(h) or 241(b)(3) of the INA in effect prior to April 1,1997,

* granted conditional entry under 203(a)(7) in effect prior to 4/1/80,

* Cuban/Haitian entrant as defined in 501(e) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980, or

* immigrant, parent, or child of an immigrant who has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty in the U.S. by a spouse, parent, or by a member of the spouse or parent’s family residing in the same EU as the immigrant at the time of the abuse. There must be a substantial connection between the battery or extreme cruelty and the need for food stamp benefits and the individual must not reside in the same household as the abuser. In order to qualify you also have to have assets no greater than the amount set, households with a disabled member or a member age 60 or older may have up to $3,000 worth of assets and still qualify for food stamps. Other households may have up to $2,000.Once you have reviewed the criteria and have made a decision that you believe that you qualify you are ready for the next step which is to fill out application.

Application process

The first step in completing an application for Pennsylvania food stamps is to go online and download the application. This can be done online The application is pretty simple if you have gathered the information that I discussed above income, expenses, and social security numbers for everyone in your household. The individuals in your household that count as household members are

Spouses

§ Parents

§ Children under 22 years old

§ Children, except foster children, under age 18 who are under the parental control of a person other than their parents who is exercising parental control. For example, grandparents may apply for grandchildren in their care, even if they do not have “legal” custody. The application should take you about 20 minutes. It is important that you fill out the application as fully as possible. Once you are done with your application you should return it to your local Food Stamp office.

What happens next?

Once your application is submitted it will be reviewed by a caseworker who will then determine if more information is required from you.You will get a letter in the mail stating what your caseworker has determined is needed if anything is needed. You also probably get a date for an appointment in the office or for a phone interview. It is important that you get the additional requested documents by that date of this appointment in order to make sure you are improved as quickly as possible. It is also very important that you keep your scheduled appointment, or having to reschedule will also set you back. Once you have attended your appointment and provide all the necessary information which may include income verifications such as pay stubs, expense proof such as rent receipts or mortgage payment receipts, also childcare receipts. After the appointment you will receive another letter stating that decision in your case. If you have been approved you will then get another letter that will include your plastic EBT card, the card will have to be activated which is done by telephone in order to be used. Once it is activated you will be able to make food purchases where ever the food stamps are accepted. The amount that you are approved for will be based on the size of your household and your income and expenses. The amount that you receive can be anywhere from $200-$1200.If you would like more information and free updates regarding the food stamp process just sign up on thi

Technorati Tags: Pennsylvania Food Stamps