About the Food Stamp Program

The Food Stamp Program helps low-income people buy the food needed for good health by way of a debit card that can only be used to buy food items.
The purpose of the Food Stamp Program is to provide food assistance to end hunger, improve nutrition, and health.

How to Apply for Food Stamps

Even if you are working, or own a house, or a car; you may be eligible for food stamp benefits to help pay some of your food expenses. Any person has the right to apply for food stamps.  Your household may be able to get food stamps if you work for low wages, are unemployed or work part time, receive welfare or other benefits, are elderly or disabled and live on a small income, or are homeless. It is a good idea when your family is in need of food assistance to first contact the Department of Social Services because so many factors must be considered. Click here to find the office nearest you.

Benefits

Food stamps can only be used for food and for plants and seeds to grow food for your household to eat. Food stamps cannot be used for non-food items.
San Luis Obispo County issues food stamp benefits through a debit card called an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. Most retailers accept the EBT card. Click here for a list of stores in San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara counties where you can use your EBT card to buy food. EBT has many advantages. These include:

• Your EBT card can hold both Cash Aid and Food Stamp benefits
• Your EBT card can easily be replaced in the local office if you lose it
• Use of the EBT card does not draw attention to you in the checkout line
• A transaction history and current balance are provided with each transaction you make
• Benefits are automatically deposited to your card account each month that you qualify.
• As a safety measure, you are required to enter a Personal Identification Number (PIN) each time
  you use your card
• You can access your benefits through Point of Sale (POS) devices located in grocery stores and retail food merchants locally or in other counties and states.

You can apply for food stamps at the same time as applying for cash assistance. Your food stamp worker will explain the program rules. The worker will ask for proof of the information that you have provided. If your family has little or no money and needs help right away it may be possible to receive your food stamps within 3 days.

Food Stamps Eligibility Screening On-Line

The USDA Food Stamp Program website has an online Pre-Screening Tool to help you learn whether your household qualifies for federal food stamps and how much help you could get. The screening tool takes about ten minutes and urges you to apply for benefits at your local food stamp office. The process is anonymous, only first names and ages are entered to complete the screening. The site advises that you complete an application even when it shows that you may not be eligible. This is important because California has programs that help people that other states do not. The site also provides a listing of other programs you may be eligible for and links to information about each program. Click on the web address http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp to use the tool.
To find more information about the Food Stamp Program click on http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp

Good Nutrition on a Tight Budget

To learn of healthful ways to stretch your Food Stamp dollars click on Food Stamp Nutrition Connection

Community Groceries and Meals Listing

Click here for a listing of community providers of groceries and meals for needy and low income San Luis Obispo county residents.

Food Stamp Program Statistics

Click here for Food Stamp Program Statistics.