SNAP (Food Stamps)

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Human Resources Administration (HRA) encourages you to stay safe and visit HRA offices when you are not able to get the assistance you need using the ACCESS HRA website or over the phone.

Expanded SNAP Eligibility for College Students

During the COVID-19 emergency, there are new rules for the SNAP program which will allow more college students to get benefits.

  • If you are a student eligible to participate in a state or federal work-study program, you may now also be eligible for SNAP, even if you aren’t currently employed in work-study. 
  • If your “expected family contribution” (EFC*) is $0, and you meet other SNAP eligibility requirements, you are eligible for SNAP.
    • *Your EFC is found in your Student Aid Report and it is calculated based on information provided in your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

These new SNAP eligibility rules will last until one month after the public health emergency from COVID-19 is officially lifted. If you are able to get benefits due to these new rules, your benefits will last until your next recertification even if the public health emergency is ended first.

Supplement for SNAP Households

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 provided funding for a supplemental benefit for SNAP households. The supplemental benefit is issued during the last 2 weeks of each month that it is authorized. The supplemental benefit has been authorized for November 2021.

From March 2020 through March 2021, the supplemental benefit was only issued to SNAP households that did not receive the maximum benefit for their household’s size.

In April 2021, the US Department of Agriculture changed its policy on the supplemental benefit. All households with an active or closed SNAP case that receive SNAP benefits in a month when the supplemental benefit is authorized, even those receiving the maximum SNAP allotment, will receive a supplemental benefit of at least $95. This policy only affects SNAP benefits for April 2021 and any future months the supplemental benefit is issued. It is not retroactive and does not affect any months prior to April 2021.

Households that previously received a supplement of less than $95, or no supplement, will receive a supplement of $95. For households receiving supplements of more than $95, the supplement will continue to be the difference between the amount of SNAP benefits the household was issued and the maximum benefit amount allowed for the household size.

Get answers to frequently asked questions about the supplement benefit.

Need something else?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, helps people with limited income buy food. Benefits are provided on an electronic card that is used like an ATM card and accepted at most grocery stores and supermarkets.

Stores that accept SNAP are not allowed to set a minimum purchase amount to use the benefit.

After you apply for SNAP, you may have to complete an eligibility interview and must submit required documents. If you are eligible for SNAP, you will get it within 30 days. To maintain your benefit, you will have to recertify periodically.

Eligibility is based on household size, income, and household expenses. You are not required to screen for eligibility before applying for SNAP.

If you receive SSI/Disability benefits, you can still qualify for SNAP. Receiving SNAP does not reduce your SSI/Disability payments.

If you are a caregiver who is not a foster parent but are financially responsible for a child or children in your care, you may be eligible for SNAP.

You are not required to be fingerprinted to get SNAP.

Download a list of eligibility requirements and necessary documents.

Use the ACCESS NYC eligibility screener.

Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD) Work Requirements

Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) work requirements are currently waived until September 30, 2022.  

You must submit a SNAP application form and required documents to apply or recertify for SNAP benefits. A simplified SNAP application form is available for households where no one in the household has earned income and every person has a disability or is age 60 or older. 

You can submit your SNAP application form to the Human Resources Administration (HRA) online, by fax, by mail, or in person. The quickest way to apply or recertify for SNAP benefits is online.  

You can also get help filing your application form at a SNAP Center or with a participating Community Based Organization (CBO).

Get an Application

Online

Download a SNAP application from HRA's website in the "How to Apply" section.

In Person

You can pick up an application from any SNAP Center. Find a SNAP Center near you.

By Phone

  • Agency: Human Resources Administration
  • Phone Number: (718) 557-1399
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM
  • Staff is available through the automated phone system during business hours. Automated assistance is also available in Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish. Most languages are available through a staff person.

Required Documents

You should submit your application with documents that prove your eligibility. If you do not have all the documents, you can submit your application and give HRA the documents when they are requested.

Documents for eligibility include:

  • Proof of identity (driver's license, ID card)
  • Proof of address, unless you are homeless (apartment or house lease, utility bill, rent receipt, or mortgage statement)
  • Social Security numbers of all applicants or proof of application for a Social Security Number
  • Proof of the amount of all earned and unearned income before taxes or deductions (pay stubs for the past four weeks, employer wage statement, benefits letter from Social Security unemployment compensation, Veterans Affairs, or pensions)
  • Number and relationship of people in the household
  • Proof of utility expenses and possibly rent or mortgage expense
  • Proof of immigration status for non-citizen applicants (immigration information is not required for household members who are not applying for SNAP)
  • Proof of child support payments you make if you want the amount you pay to be considered (support order, separation agreement, child support records)
  • Proof of out-of-pocket medical expenses if you are age 60 or older or receive federal disability benefits (doctor or hospital bills, prescription receipts, receipts for over-the-counter medical expenses if prescribed by a medical practitioner, transportation costs to get to medical care) if you want to deduct certain medical expenses in counting your income
  • Proof of child care expenses if you are working, looking for work, or in training

Submit Application and Required Documents

You can submit your completed and signed SNAP application form and required documents using any of the methods below.

Online

Use the ACCESS HRA website or the ACCESS HRA Mobile App from anywhere and at any time to apply or recertify for SNAP benefits. You can submit documents using the Document Upload feature on the ACCESS HRA App.

By Mail

Mail your application to:

SNAP
Mail Application Referral Unit
P.O. Box 29197
Brooklyn, NY 11201

By Fax

Fax your application form along with required documents to: 

  • 917-639-1111 – New application
  • 917-639-2535 – Recertification 

If you need to submit documents after you already submitted your application form, fax the documents to 917-639-2544.

In Person

Bring your application form along with required documents to any SNAP Center.  All SNAP Centers are accessible for people who use wheelchairs. Find a SNAP Center near you.

    You can get help filing your SNAP application and submitting your required documents by visiting a SNAP Center or a participating Community Based Organization (CBO). 

    SNAP Center

    All SNAP Centers are accessible for people who use wheelchairs.

    Find a SNAP Center near you.

    Community Based Organization (CBO)

    Community Based Organizations can help you complete SNAP applications and screen you for eligibility. Some locations can also help you submit your documents to HRA electronically. 

    You can get more information by contacting a Community Based Organization listed below. The hours of operation for these sites may change.

    Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

    Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most Community Based Organization locations are closed to the public until further notice.

    Some locations will see you in person if you have a scheduled appointment. Other locations are offering services over the phone. Please call the location for more information.

    Use Site Finder to search for a Community Based Organization where you can schedule an in-person appointment. Choose "Food Stamp Center" from the Site Type dropdown menu on the Site Finder page.

    All Boroughs

    Hunger Free America
    Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM
    Assistance available over the phone.

    • (646) 865-0769 or (646) 627-7630 (English, Spanish)
    • (646) 935-3513 (English, Chinese)
    • (332) 600-5415 (English, Russian)

    Community Kitchen of West Harlem - Food Bank
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 4:30 PM
    (212) 894-8060

    Met Council
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Monday - Thursday: 9 AM - 5 PM; Friday: 9 AM - 2 PM
    (212) 453-9532 (English, Spanish)

    Mobilization for Justice - Government Benefits Project
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Monday and Wednesday, 10 AM - 12 PM; Friday, 1 PM - 3 PM
    (212) 417-3732

    Bronx

    Catholic Charities Bronx Center 
    Assistance available over the phone; In-person services available by appointment only.
    Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 4 PM
    (718) 292-9090

    Jewish Community Council of Pelham Parkway - Community Services Center
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Monday - Wednesday: 9 AM - 5 PM
    (212) 453-9532 or (646) 627-1275 (English, Spanish)

    Montefiore Sound Shore Medical Center - WIC Program
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Friday: 9 AM - 2 PM
    (212) 453-9532 or (646) 627-1275 (English, Spanish)

    Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC)
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Tuesday - Thursday: 9 AM - 5 PM
    (347) 269-5186 or (646) 952-1392 (English, Spanish)

    The HopeLine Resource Center for Community Development
    Assistance available over the phone; In-person services available by appointment only.
    Monday - Wednesday: 9 AM - 3 PM
    (718) 402-1212

    West Bronx Housing and Neighborhood Resource Center 
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Thursday: 9 AM - 5 PM
    (212) 453-9532 or (646) 627-1275 (English, Spanish)

    Brooklyn

    Arab American Family Support Center
    Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 9 AM - 5 PM (In-person services available by appointment only)
    Tuesday and Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM (Assistance available over the phone)
    (718) 643-8000

    Bed-Stuy WIC Center
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Monday - Tuesday: 9 AM - 5 PM
    (347) 880-2922 (English, Spanish)

    Council of People Organization (COPO)
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 4 PM
    (718) 434-3266

    Crown Heights JCC
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Monday - Thursday: 9 AM - 5 PM; Friday: 9 AM - 2 PM
    (718) 778-8808 (English, Hebrew, Russian, Yiddish)

    Jewish Community Council of Marine Park (JCC Marine Park)
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Wednesday: 9 AM - 5 PM
    (347) 880-2922 (English, Spanish)

    Kings Bay Y
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Friday: 9 AM - 2 PM
    (646) 648-0506 (English, Russian)

    RiseBoro Community Partnership (formerly RBSCC)
    Assistance available over the phone; In-person services available by appointment only.
    Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM
    (718) 366-1830

    Shorefront Jewish Community Council (Shorefront JCC)
    Assistance available over the phone; In-person services available by appointment only.
    Monday - Thursday, 9 AM - 5 PM; Friday 9 AM - 2 PM
    (718) 743-0575 ext. 7501 (English, Russian)

    The Campaign Against Hunger
    In-person services available by appointment only.
    Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 4 PM; Saturday 12 PM - 4:30 PM
    (718) 773-3551 ext. 112

    United Jewish Organization of Williamsburg (UJO)
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Monday - Thursday, 9 AM - 5 PM
    (718) 643-9700 (English, Yiddish)

    Manhattan

    Tzu Chi Foundation - Lafayette
    Assistance available over the phone; In-person services available by appointment only.
    Wednesday, 10 AM - 2 PM
    (212) 965-1151

    Queens

    Affinity Health Plan Flushing
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Wednesday - Thursday, 9 AM - 5 PM; Friday, 9 AM - 2 PM
    (646) 352-1800 (English, Mandarin)

    Jewish Community Council of Far Rockaway Peninsula (JCCRP)
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Tuesday - Wednesday, 9 AM - 5 PM; Friday, 9 AM - 2 PM
    (646) 648-0506 (English, Russian)

    Queens Jewish Community Council (Queens JCC)
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Monday and Thursday: 9 AM - 5 PM
    (646) 648-0506  

    Tzu Chi Foundation - Flushing
    Assistance available over the phone; In-person services available by appointment only.
    Monday and Wednesday: 10 AM - 2 PM
    (718) 888-0866

    Staten Island

    Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI)
    Assistance available over the phone; In-person services available by appointment only.
    Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 4 PM; Saturday 12 PM - 4 PM
    (718) 808-1800

    Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Plan
    Assistance available over the phone.
    Monday and Wednesday: 9 AM - 5 PM
    (646) 952-1392 or (212) 453-9532 (English, Spanish)

    You may be required to have a telephone eligibility interview if you are applying or recertifying for SNAP benefits. HRA will call you if you need an eligibility interview to give more information or documents.  

    If HRA has all the information they need to make a decision on your application, you will not need an eligibility interview and you will not get a call from HRA.

    In-person interview appointments at SNAP Centers are not available at this time.

    If you missed the interview call from HRA, call 311 for assistance.

    Standard Processing

    To help process your application faster, please submit as many documents proving your eligibility with your application or as soon as you can.  The Human Resources Administration (HRA) will review your application and the documents you sent when they are received, and may call you for an eligibility interview over the phone.

    If you are eligible for SNAP, you will receive them within 30 days. In some cases, you can get benefits sooner.

    Expedited Processing 

    Expedited processing allows eligible people to get SNAP benefits within 5 days. If you qualify, you will get an interview within 2 days.

    You may be eligible if one of the following apply:

    • You are eligible for SNAP, your household has less than $100 in cash or other available resources, and you will have less than $150 in gross income (before taxes) during the month that you apply.
    • Your combined income and available resources in the month that you apply are less than the total of your rent or mortgage plus heat, utilities, and phone bills.
    • At least one person in the household is a migrant or seasonal farm worker who has less than $100 in cash or other available resources.

    Receiving an EBT Card

    If you have been approved for benefits, you will receive an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card in the mail.

    If your EBT card has not yet arrived and you cannot wait for it, you can go to the Brooklyn OTC site for your permanent card, or an open HRA location for a temporary card that will have all benefits available until your EBT card arrives. Your valid photo ID is required to receive a card. 

    The Brooklyn Over-the-Counter (OTC) site is located at 227 Schermerhorn Street. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5 PM.

    Visit the HRA Center Locations website for more information.

    Applicants and participants can find out their SNAP case status online or by phone.

    Online

    Create or log into your account on the ACCESS HRA website or the ACCESS HRA Mobile App.

    Phone

    Call 311 for assistance.

    SNAP Periodic Report

    If you receive a SNAP Periodic Report, you must submit your Periodic Report or your case will close. You can submit your Periodic Report using the ACCESS HRA website or the ACCESS HRA Mobile App.

    If your SNAP Periodic Report was due between March 1, 2021 and June 30, 2021 and you did not submit it, negative actions were not taken. 

    Reporting Changes on a Current SNAP Case

    If you receive SNAP benefits and have lost your job or had a change in your income, please submit a Case Change request using the ACCESS HRA website. You do not need to submit a new application or visit an office. You will need to submit documents to prove the change you report, which you can do using the Document Upload feature on the ACCESS HRA Mobile App.

    If, however, you are due to recertify your SNAP benefits in the next 75 days, you must report the change as part of your recertification.  You will be prevented from submitting a Case Change on the ACCESS HRA website during this period.

    Learn about the documents you can use and the ways to submit them.

    Get more information about COVID-19 and your HRA benefits.

    Keep Your Information Up-to-Date

    Use the ACCESS HRA website or the ACCESS HRA Mobile App to view your case information and update your contact information. It's very important that HRA has your current contact information.

    If you are 60 or older, you can get help applying for SNAP by phone.

    You must:

    • Be a resident of New York City
    • Not already be enrolled in SNAP

    Call 311 for assistance.

    If you have a disability, medical condition, or mental health condition that makes it hard for you to apply for or get SNAP benefits, you can request a reasonable accommodation.

    By Email

    ConstituentAffairs@dss.nyc.gov

    By Fax

    (212) 331-4685

    By Mail

    Office of Constituent Services
    150 Greenwich Street, 35th Floor
    New York, NY 10007

    By Phone

    Call 311 for assistance.

    SNAP Benefits Effective October 2021

    A federal increase to the maximum SNAP benefit amount went into effect for all households that receive SNAP benefits on October 1, 2021.

    You do not need to submit an application or request this increased amount. Your budget was automatically recalculated and a higher amount will automatically be added to your Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. If you have income in your household, you may get less than the maximum. 

    The maximum SNAP benefit amount per household size is as follows:

    Household SizeMaximum SNAP Amount
    1$250
    2$459
    3$658
    4$835
    5$992
    6$1,190
    7$1,316
    8$1,504
     Each additional member + $188

     

    The minimum monthly SNAP benefit amount for eligible one- and two-person households is $20.

    Benefit Schedules

    The day your benefits are available to you is known as your benefit schedule.  This day may change from month to month and from year to year.

    You can check your current schedule by phone. You will need to provide your 19-digit card number.

    • Agency: New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
    • Division: Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Customer Service
    • Phone Number: (888) 328-6399
    • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM
    • Staff is available through the automated phone system during business hours.

    SNAP benefits can be used to buy:

    • Food or food products
    • Seeds to grow vegetables and plants that provide food, such as basil or tomatoes
    • Baby formula, diabetic and diet foods
    • Edible items used in preparing or preserving food, such as spices, herbs, pectin, and shortening
    • Water and ice labeled for human consumption
    • Snack foods

    SNAP benefits cannot be used to buy:

    • Prepared hot foods in grocery stores or any prepared food (hot or cold) meant to be eaten at the store
    • Alcoholic beverages or tobacco
    • Cleaning products, paper products, toiletries, or cooking utensils
    • Pet supplies
    • Items for food preservation such as canning jars or lids, freezer containers, or food wrapping paper
    • Medicines, vitamins, or minerals
    • Items for gardening, such as fertilizer or peat moss

    You can make a complaint about SNAP, including:

    • Delays
    • Expired SNAP benefits
    • Staff behavior at a SNAP Center
    • How your case is handled
    • Stores that set a minimum purchase amount to use SNAP benefits

    Online

    Fill out a complaint form online.

    By Phone

    Call 311 for assistance by phone.

    Be aware of a scam using texting to obtain your personal information.  The text might say you were chosen to receive food stamps or SNAP.  

    If you are a New York City resident and do not know if a request for information about SNAP is real or not, contact HRA by phone.

    Never share personal information with individuals or organizations that you do not know. Personal information includes your social security number, bank information, or SNAP electronic benefits transfer card or PIN number. If you think the text is a scam, do not reply at all.  Just delete the message.

    If you gave your personal information using the link in the text, you should file an Identity Theft report.

    • Agency: Human Resources Administration
    • Phone Number: (718) 557-1399
    • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM
    • Staff is available through the automated phone system during business hours. Automated assistance is also available in Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish. Most languages are available through a staff person.

    On April 18, 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began the SNAP online purchasing pilot.

    SNAP households with electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards will be able to use their benefits to purchase eligible food items. 

    SNAP benefits cannot be used to pay for service or delivery charges.  

    Find participating stores and get more information about the SNAP online purchasing pilot.

    Read the USDA press release about the SNAP online purchasing pilot.

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