 | | | | |  | |  | | | | | | Food Support | | October 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007
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- What is Food Support?
- Is Food Support the same as Food Stamps?
- How does Food Support work?
- If I get Food Support, how much money will I get each month on my card?
- Who can get help from Food Support?
- Does it matter how long I have lived in Minnesota to get Food Support?
- Are there any asset limits for Food Support?
- What are assets?
- What about my vehicle (car or truck)? Is that counted as an asset?
- I am a self-employed farmer. Will my farm count as an asset for Food Support?
- How do I get an application for Food Support?
- What is the application like?
- Do I have to go in person to apply?
- What else do I have to do to apply?
- How soon will I be able to get on the program?
- What do I have to do to stay on the program?
- Is there a limit to how long I can get Food Support?
- Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to get Food Support?
- Can undocumented immigrants get Food Support?
- I am an immigrant. If I get Food Support, will I be a public charge?
- If I am getting help from the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), can I still get Food Support when I leave the program?
- Will a lien be placed upon my home if I get Food Support?
1. What is Food Support?
It is a program that helps people with lower incomes pay for nutritious
food, which helps kids to grow up strong and helps adults to stay
healthy. Food Support does not pay for all the food that a person or a
family needs each month, just some of it.
The Food Support program is administered by the Minnesota Department of Human Services but eligibility and case management is done by county human services departments.
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2. Is Food Support the same as Food Stamps?
Food Support is the name of Food Stamps in Minnesota. We don’t call the
program “Food Stamps” anymore because you don’t get stamps to buy
food. You get a card. |
3. How does Food Support work?
Once you get Food Support, you will get a plastic card that looks like
a credit or debit card. It is called your EBT card. Every month, the
card will be filled up with the money for you to buy food at places
that accept Food Support, such as grocery stores. When you get to the
check-out line, you swipe your card and then enter a code number that
you have picked (called a PIN or Personal Identification Number).
The PIN helps keep your benefits safe if you lose your card. The
cost of your food will be subtracted from the amount of money on your
card. You can use your card to buy groceries or plants and seeds to
grow food. Seniors can also use their cards at some Meals on Wheels and
Congregate Dining sites. You cannot use your card to buy other things
like clothes. |
4. If I get Food Support, how much money will I get each month on my card?
It depends on your income, expenses and the number of people who live
with you. The average amount is $80 for each person each month. If you
have more people in your family, you will get more money to buy food. |
5. Who can get help from Food Support?
Lots of people, including single adults, families and seniors. For most
people, it depends on how much money you make (your income) and how much
you own (your assets). If you are an adult who is able to work, you
will also have to work or look for work to get Food Support. The
following families are eligible for Food Support with no asset or
income test:- Families
in which at least 1 child in the household is eligible to receive Basic
Sliding Fee Child Care and/or the Transition Year Child Care. The
family must have applied and been found eligible for the Child Care
Assistance Program but can still be on the waiting list.
- Families participating in the Diversionary Work Program (DWP).
- Families
composed entirely of people who receive General Assistance (GA),
Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA), or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
in Minnesota.
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6. Does it matter how long I have lived in Minnesota to get Food Support?
No. This doesn’t matter. You can get Food Support even if you just came
to Minnesota. You can also get Food Support even if you don’t plan to
stay in Minnesota for a long time. |
7. Are there any asset limits for Food Support?
Yes. The asset
limit is $7,000. This is the most that you can have
in assets and still be able to get Food Support. |
8. What are assets?
Assets are money or other things of value that you or your family own.
The county will add some of your assets together to see if they are
lower than the limit. You do not have to count the house you live in or
any licensed vehicles as assets. Some assets that are counted are cash,
money in a checking or
savings account, property that you do not live on, unlicensed vehicles
with an equity value over $1500, retirement accounts, and stocks and
bonds. |
9. What about my vehicle (car or truck)? Is that counted as an asset?
No. All licensed vehicles are not counted as assets for Food Support.
Unlicensed vehicles with an equity value over $1500 will be counted as
assets. |
10. I am a self-employed farmer. Will my farm count as an asset for Food Support?
If your farm produces income for you or your family, it is not counted
as an asset. Farming equipment used to produce income is also not
counted. |
11. How do I get an application for Food Support?
The application is called the Combined Application Form (CAF). You can
get one at your county social services office. You can also get an
application on this website by clicking here. |
12. What is the application like?
The application is about 15 pages long, plus instructions. It is
available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Khmer (Cambodian), Lao,
Vietnamese, Arabic, Oromo, Serbo-Croatian (Bosnian) and Russian. It
will ask you about everyone who lives with you, how much money they
make, and what they own (assets). If you want, you can use this same
application to apply for cash assistance (MFIP or DWP) or a health
program (Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare, or GAMC). Fill it
out and then bring it to the county office to apply. You can also use the Program Directory on this website to find organizations by county that will help you fill out the application.
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13. Do I have to go in person to apply?
Yes. After you turn in your application, you will have to do an
interview with a county worker. It may not happen on the same day. If
you cannot get to an interview, you can send a friend or relative to
apply for you, or you can ask to be interviewed over the phone. |
14. What else do I have to do to apply?
During your interview, you will have to bring proof of your income
(such as check stubs), your assets and your expenses. When you turn in
your application, you will learn what you need to bring to your
interview. |
15. How soon will I be able to get on the program?
It depends. For some emergencies, you can get help within 24 hours. For
most people, you will find out in within a month from the day you turn
in your application. |
16. What do I have to do to stay on the program?
If the number of
people living with you changes or your income changes, you need to call
the county office and tell them within 10 days. If you have money from work (earned income), you have to fill out a
report that comes in the mail every six months. You have to mail it back with proof of income (like check
stubs). If you do not have money from work (no earned income), you will
only have to do paperwork every 12 months.
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17. Is there a limit to how long I can get Food Support?
No. |
18. Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to get Food Support?
No. You must be a U.S. citizen or have an acceptable immigration status.
However, if only some people in your household have acceptable
immigration status, you can apply just for them. Most people will need
a Social Security Number (or proof of application if the number is
pending) to apply. There are exceptions to this rule. If you are under age
18 or over age 49, or have been a lawful U.S. resident for more than 5 years, or are a refugee or asylee, you do NOT need a Social Security Number to apply.
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19. Can undocumented immigrants get Food Support?
Undocumented immigrants cannot get Food Support. But
if some people in your family can get Food Support, but others cannot,
you can apply just for those people who qualify. If you are
undocumented, but your children were born in the U.S., you can get Food
Support for your children. The county worker cannot tell USCIS (INS)
about you or other people living with you. You do not have to tell the
worker about the immigration status of people that you are not applying
for, but you have to tell how many people live with you and how much
money they make. |
20. I am an immigrant. If I get Food Support, will I be a public charge?
No. Getting Food Support does not mean you are a public charge. You can
still become U.S. citizen if you get Food Support.
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21. If I am getting help from the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), can I still get Food Support when I leave the program?
Most people leaving MFIP can still get Food Support. You have to have income and assets below the limits to get help. |
22. Will a lien be placed upon my home if I get Food Support?
No. |
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