The residents of Pennsylvania will receive their food stamps from September 3 to September 14. The food stamp will help residents who qualify cope with the rising cost of food to shop at selected malls using their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
Food stamps are benefits provided by the United States government to residents across all 50 states to help low-income households deal with the cost of living expenses, especially food purchases. The food stamps, provided once a month, ensure that citizens and non-citizens who qualify can pay for groceries such as beverages, vegetables, etc. at various shopping centers selected by the government.
The food benefits come once a month at different times for different states in the nation, with some states starting theirs as early as the 1st day of the month and that of other states lasting as long as the 28th day of the month. The food stamp distribution for the state of Pennsylvania begins on September 3 and will last until September 14.
Who is eligible to receive food stamps?
The food stamps are open to American citizens and non-citizens who have been able to meet the criteria set by the Department of Homeland Security. However, families with low incomes who struggle to meet monthly living expenses, particularly food purchases, are the primary recipients of the program.
Moreover, certain conditions must be satisfied for the families to receive food stamps. These conditions include the following:
- The beneficiary must have a social security number or must have filed for one before applying
- Households with low income or resources are eligible to apply.
- Households whose income is less than $5500 can apply for SNAP.
- Non-immigrants who meet certain criteria outlined by the Department of Homeland can also apply.
- Individuals who are non-citizens but have been residents of the United States for five years can also apply for SNAP.
- Individuals who have been identified as victims of abuse or human trafficking are also eligible to apply for the SNAP program.
Can you work in exchange for SNAP in Pennsylvania?
While SNAP is free to most eligible residents of Pennsylvania, the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) program requires some citizens to work before they can benefit from the food stamp program. These people would be required to either put in 20 hours of work weekly or take part in a training program at the same hourly rate.
Pennsylvanians who do not meet these requirements are only allowed to receive food stamps three months a year. They can also be denied food stamps if they are discovered to have deliberately declined an opportunity to work and chose to remain jobless.
These conditions, however, do not apply to families who have children and people whose records of disability have been documented.
