The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps low-income households buy food. Formerly called Food Stamps, SNAP is intended to fill the gap between the cash a household has available to buy food and the cost of a “thrifty” food budget as set by the USDA.
In response to the pandemic, SNAP made major changes. Emergency allotments allow for clients to receive the maximum amount for that household size regardless of their income. So as long as a client qualifies for SNAP, they will get the maximum amount. For instance, a client who receives $16 per month will now receive $194. April clients will receive their extra funds for April on May 7. If a household already receives the maximum amount (they had zero income before) they will not receive anything additional. Work requirements have been waived, so volunteering for 20 hours per week is no longer required. The mandatory DHHS interview prior to receiving benefits is no longer required. These changes will expedite the process and will make it easier for Nebraskans to receive SNAP benefits.
Is your household eligible for SNAP? There are three ways to apply: paper application, online, or by phone. You will be asked about all your expenses, like rent or mortgage payments, taxes, utilities. You also have to report your assets, like property owned, bank accounts, investments. Pick up a paper application at 411 Black Hills Avenue. Fill out an online application at the website of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS): www.ACCESSNebraska.ne.gov. Or phone the DHHS Customer Service Center: 1-800-383-4278. You can get assistance with completing the application through the DHHS Customer Service Center or Northwest Community Action Partnership: 308-430-0843. By calling and using a qualified professional, you are much more likely to be approved.
Children in families that qualify for SNAP automatically qualify for their school’s free/reduced lunch program.
When a person or family is approved to receive SNAP benefits, they will receive a Nebraska EBT card by mail. Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is a plastic card similar to a debit card. To purchase food, slide the EBT card through a terminal at the store’s checkout counter. Then, enter a unique number (PIN) to verify your identity. The transaction deducts the purchase amount immediately from your EBT account.
Food Stamps were first used in Rochester, New York, in 1939. These food stamps could be used at local grocery stores or to buy surplus agricultural items. For the next few years it expanded to other states, but was discontinued during World War II. President Kennedy revived the program in 1961 as a response to poverty throughout the United States. In 1990 the paper food stamps were replaced by EBT cards, and in 2008 the name of the program was changed to SNAP. The SNAP program served nearly 40 million Americans in 2018.
The federal government pays the full cost of SNAP benefits and splits the cost of administering the program with states. In 2019, more than $220 million in SNAP benefits were issued to Nebraska residents at a cost to the state of $19 million in administrative expenses. SNAP helped 170,000 Nebraskans afford food in 2019. This year, with the number of unemployed Nebraskans now at 114,000, the amount the federal government provides for SNAP will go much higher.
According to Nebraska’s Open Sky Policy Institute, because households are able to redeem their monthly SNAP benefits quickly, the program is one of the most effective forms of economic stimulus during an economic downturn. In fact, every $1 in SNAP spending generates about $1.70 in economic activity for a local area, a tremendous boost during a weak economy. These valuable benefits that help individuals and businesses are provided at very little cost to Nebraskans.