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The SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Unit, formerly known as food stamps, is responsible for administering this federally funded program.  This Department of Agriculture program supplements low-income households with food purchasing accounts.  The standards for individuals who are over 60 and the disabled are higher than those for other individuals.

  • Benefits are accessed electronically through the use of a benefit card. 
  • Benefits can only be used to purchase food items and not for such items as alcoholic beverages or paper and hygiene products.
  • Individuals between the ages of 18 and 50 who are able-bodied adults without dependent children must be engaged in work or work-related activities for at least 20 hours per week or 80 hours per month to be eligible for more than three months of food stamps.
  • Clients leaving Temporary Assistance are entitled to Transitional Food Stamp Benefits for five months to help them make the transition from welfare to work.

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Expedited Food Stamps

Every application for Food Stamps must be screened for expedited Food Stamps on the day the application is filed, whether it is filed in person, through the mail or by an authorized representative.  If the household's income and resources are low enough to meet the guidelines for expedited Food Stamps, the benefits will be issued within five days of the application filing date.  In cases where the household alleges it has no food, the Department will make every effort to issue the benefits the next day and, in the meantime, will refer the household to a food pantry. 

NYSCAP

The New York State Combined Application Process (NYSCAP) replaced the New York State Nutrition Improvement Project (NYSCIP) effective 12/01/2021 which was a collaborative program that automatically enrolled single individuals who live alone and receive Supplemental Security Income into the SNAP program without the need to file an application, complete interview, or provide verification the individual could receive the SNAP benefits for up to 48 months by simple completing an interim mailer. The NYSCAP auto enrollment process is the same as the process for NYSNIP. However, NYSCAP only has a certification period of up to 36 months.

ESAP

To ease access to and improve the participation of older and disabled adults in SNAP, New York State implemented the Elderly Simplified Application Process (EAP) in December 2021. ESAP is intended to simplify the SNAP application, recertification and verification processes for eligible households where all adult members are aged and/or disabled. Once approved ESAP households have up to a 36 month authorization period with minimum reporting requirements.

myBenefits

Clients can apply for Food Stamps or view information about their current Food Stamp case, by creating a myBenefits account or login to your existing myBenefits account.  https://www.mybenefits.ny.gov/

SNAP scams

USDA has requested that we share the following information to help protect potential SNAP applicants:

From time to time, USDA received reports of Internet and email scams that purport to offer assistance filling out SNAP applications and fake websites that pose as the SNAP public website offering application information. The goal of such scams is to collect personal information from potential SNAP recipients, including credit card information. In the most recently reported scam, SNAP applicants are asked to provide cell phone numbers and are then automatically enrolled into an expensive service without warning.

A "scam alert" developed in consultation with the Federal Trade Commission is posted on the SNAP public website at http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/alert.htm. We encourage recipients and others to never provide any personal information on an unsecured website, and remind potential applicants that here is never a fee to apply for SNAP.

The FTC suggests that anyone who has fallen victim to these or similar scams, to contact their credit card companies immediately. Victims may also file a police report. 

USDA FNS Non-Discrimination Statement

As a condition of receipt of Federal financial assistance, the Program applicant hereby agrees that it will comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended; all provisions required by the implementing regulations of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) (7 CFR Part 15); Department of Justice Enforcement Guidelines (28 CFR Parts 42 and 50.3); and Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) directives and guidelines to the effect that, no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, political beliefs, religion or disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subject to discrimination under any program or activity for which the Program applicant receives Federal financial assistance from USDA.

The Program applicant agrees to compile data, maintain records, and submit reports as required, to permit effective enforcement of nondiscrimination laws and permit authorized USDA personnel during hours of program operation to review such records, books, and accounts as needed to ascertain compliance with the nondiscrimination laws. If there are any violations of this assurance, the Department of Agriculture, FNS, shall have the right to seek judicial enforcement of this assurance. This assurance is binding on the Program applicant, its successors, transferees and assignees as long as it receives assistance or retains possession of any assistance from USDA. The person or persons whose signatures appear below are authorized to sign this assurance on behalf of the Program applicant.

As a non-citizen, can I get SNAP benefits?

Many non-citizens may be eligible for SNAP benefits if they are one of the following:

  • Refugees, Cuban/Haitian Entrants, Asylees, Amerasian immigrants, individuals with deportation or removal withheld, Hmong or Highland Laotians, victims of human trafficking, parolees for at least one year, conditional entrants, North American Indians born in Canada and members of federally recognized tribes;
  • Honorably discharged U.S. veteran, the spouse and unmarried dependent children;
  • Aliens on active duty in the U.S. military service, the spouse and unmarried dependent children;
  • Aliens paroled into the U.S. for at least one year;
  • Certain battered immigrants and their children or parents; and
  • Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) in the U.S. for 5 years
  • LPR with certain disability benefits
  • LPR with 40 qualifying quarters
  • LPR under age 18

Important: Participating in SNAP does not affect a person’s immigration status and/or ability to become a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident.

Applying for or receiving SNAP benefits does not make you a public charge and will not be considered in a public charge determination.

Applying for or receiving SNAP will not affect your ability to:

  • Remain in the United States,
  • Get a Green Card/Lawful Permanent Resident Status,
  • Keep a Green Card/Lawful Permanent Resident Status, or
  • Become a United States citizen.

You can also apply for SNAP on behalf of the eligible immigrants or U.S. citizens in your family, even if you do not want to apply for benefits for yourself, without affecting your or their immigration status.

For example, if a parent is not eligible for SNAP because of their immigration status, they can still apply for their eligible children. The SNAP office is not allowed to ask for immigration documents for people who are not applying to receive benefits themselves.

USDA Civil Rights Assurance Language

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

  1. mail:
    U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
  2. fax:
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email:
    Program.Intake@usda.gov

With respect to public accommodations, New York State additionally prohibits discrimination based on gender identity, transgender status, gender dysphoria, sexual orientation, marital status, and military status.