The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that 2.5 million residents of the Sunshine State received food stamps as of March 2010. The Florida Food Assistance Program helps needy families pay for food when they cannot afford it. The Florida Department of Children and Families administers the program to to make sure Florida families get the food they need, regardless of financial circumstances.
Qualifications
You must meet certain income limits to qualify for food assistance in Florida. A recent change made by the federal government allows Florida to issue benefits to more families. According to Access Florida, you can now qualify if you gross less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. You must be a U.S. citizen or a legal alien meeting certain requirements, such as refugee status or military service. In addition, you may be asked to submit to a work-training program or work at a job for an average of 20 hours per week to maintain benefits. You may be exempt from a work requirement if you are over 60 years old, pregnant, caring for a dependent child or disabled. If your income falls above 200 percent of the federal poverty level, you can offset some of it through deductions. You can reduce your income to account for expenses like rent, utilities and medical care. You can also deduct 20 percent of your gross income to help you qualify.
Pre-screening
The Access Florida website offers a pre-screening tool that can help you determine whether you potentially qualify for the Florida Food Assistance Program. The pre-screening tool asks questions about your income, resources and work history to determine whether you qualify for food stamps, cash assistance, Medicaid and other benefits. You can also call 866-762-2237 to ask about eligibility requirements, or visit your local office to submit an application in person.
What You Need
In addition to a completed application, you must also present the Social Security numbers of each member of your household to qualify. You may be asked to provide proof of your income and work history to process your application. While you can start an application with as little as your name, address and signature, providing as much information as possible makes processing your application faster.
Time
Apply as soon as possible if you believe you may qualify for Florida food assistance. It takes between seven and 30 days for you to receive food stamps once you submit your completed application. You can start your application online with only your name, address and electronic signature. This is important because your benefits start the day you start your application if you are approved. In cases of extreme emergency, you may receive benefits in less than seven days.
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