food stamps

real_pochacco

Any tips on how to get food stamps? I'm in Portland, OR if that matters. Also, what kinds of groceries can you usually get with them?

Hedgethorn

This is the website for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

You can use this page to see if you likely qualify.

And here is the contact information for your local SNAP office. In Oregon, call 1-800-723-3638.

Darkewolfe

They evaluate how much money you have access to, in addition to other things. It's not as easy to get as filing for unemployment. Which is to say, when you're out of a job you file for unemployment, but you have to actually be very hard up to get food stamps. Doesn't Portland have the highest rate of unemployment fraud in the nation?

real_pochacco

I'm definitely very hard up. I'm a broke, jobless college student and I'm on my last 20 or so dollars, and I probably only have enough food to last me another week or two.

I have to pay one more month's rent and I don't really know how that's going to happen. Bleh.

Portland has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, evidently.

Chanus

There's a National Helpline - 211 - that I think has information.

kaliyama

real_pochacco wrote: »

I'm definitely very hard up. I'm a broke, jobless college student and I'm on my last 20 or so dollars, and I probably only have enough food to last me another week or two.

I have to pay one more month's rent and I don't really know how that's going to happen. Bleh.

Portland has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, evidently.

Food stamps will probably be hard to get on short notice - it'll be a bureaucratic process. Your best bet as that track mvoes forward is to seek temporary help at food shelters.

Chanus

I did hear on the news there is an $83 Million surplus of food stamps right now... so that's perhaps good news.

King Kong

Food stamps is a long BS process but once you have em your set. 211 is garbage, I have no idea what their criteria is but eviction and unemployed still didn't qualify me.

Best bet for immediate food needs is your local food pantry.

real_pochacco

Huh, I got the impression from other people I know who've done it that it's pretty easy.

jeddy lee

I actually work for the State of Alaska Public Assistance, so i'll help you with all I know. SNAP (Food Stamps) follows federal guidelines regardless of state. Be aware, if you are enrolled in school (atleast half time) and are physically/mentally able to work, you won't be eligible for benefits. (The idea here is that it doesn't provide insentive for college students who could have a job to not have one). There are some exemptions to this rule though.

Honestly, what it takes is going to an office, filling out an application, and it may take up to 30 days (no usually up here, but it can) but benefits are retroactive to the date of application, so better get in sooner rather than later.

jeddy lee

Oh, also, if you meet certain criteria, you can have your food stamps "expedited" which means that they can authorize them based off of your statement, waiving the neccesity for verification in the initial month, and the timeframe switches from 30 days to 5 days.

real_pochacco

jack eddy wrote: »

I actually work for the State of Alaska Public Assistance, so i'll help you with all I know. SNAP (Food Stamps) follows federal guidelines regardless of state. Be aware, if you are enrolled in school (atleast half time) and are physically/mentally able to work, you won't be eligible for benefits. (The idea here is that it doesn't provide insentive for college students who could have a job to not have one). There are some exemptions to this rule though.

Honestly, what it takes is going to an office, filling out an application, and it may take up to 30 days (no usually up here, but it can) but benefits are retroactive to the date of application, so better get in sooner rather than later.

I know friends of mine attending the same school that I am who have gotten food stamps.

I'm getting full financial aid and all that sort of thing (my expected family contribution on the FAFSA is $0), if that makes any difference.

Yeah, I figured that I probably just have to go to the office, but I'm a little bit nervous/wary about it, since I don't really know exactly what documentation they need and I don't have very much documentation.

Chanus

real_pochacco wrote: »

Yeah, I figured that I probably just have to go to the office, but I'm a little bit nervous/wary about it, since I don't really know exactly what documentation they need and I don't have very much documentation.

A quick phone call, rather than showing up in person unprepared, might be a good idea.

Richard_Dastardly

If you have friends who have already done this, then why aren't you asking them?

real_pochacco

Richard_Dastardly wrote: »

If you have friends who have already done this, then why aren't you asking them?

Cause school's out so I don't really see them or talk to them anymore until things start back up again.

jeddy lee

I would still recomend going to speak to an eligibility technician. Also, your friend's might not be in the exact same situation as you, there are several nuances. For reference, here is the state of alaska policies (following federal regulations, there may be slight differences, such as income limits, but other eligibility criteria should be the same) and section 605-1B talks about students and their ineligibility.

I can't stress enough that there are a lot of nuances, and applying would be your best bet. If you talk to them on the phone, it is unlikely you would actually be talking to an eligibility technician, and they would probably tell you to come in.

It's seriously not a complicated process, you apply, get scheduled for an interview, provide verification that they ask (id, income, resources) and determine if you're eligible.

tech_hunter

You should call them and find out what you need to bring. Usually its proof of residence and proof of income along with your normal id requirements Drivers license and social. usually you can only get assistance if you are elderly disabled or have dependents. No harm in trying though if you are in such dire straits.

jeddy lee

tech_hunter wrote: »

You should call them and find out what you need to bring. Usually its proof of residence and proof of income along with your normal id requirements Drivers license and social. usually you can only get assistance if you are elderly disabled or have dependents. No harm in trying though if you are in such dire straits.

Ahhhh!!!!! NO!

Adult Public Assistance programs tied to supplemental security income are for people who are elderly or disabled. Food Stamps does not tie into this in any way. As a matter of fact, most people on the disabled/elderly programs quallify for the minimum FS amount (around $10.00 per month).

The only thing that makes it more likely that you would be eligible for other assistance programs if you are disabled or elderly is that:

a) we can't force you to comply with work requirements.
b) there is (possibly) a $3000.00 resource limit rather than a $2000.00 resource limit.

mully

It really depends on who you talk to. If you go in and try to apply for welfare or EI and you don't qualify (this happened to me -- my rent was 750 but i couldn't afford to move out (with the security deposit and all) and that was much higher than their "allowed" rent), they will give you food stamps without batting an eyelash. I really don't know if you could just request that - but you could also always contact your local FoodBank - you line up at a certain time, and they hand out boxes of food. Food staples.

As for the Food Stamps themselves, they give you a list (typically) of where they can be used. Safeway, for one, which seemed to be the best "bang for your buck". Remember when you get these things, if you are able to obtain them, use them to get things that will fill you up for lower cost. Beans and rice. I bought mild curry and rice, some carrots, etc., and made a curry that lasted me a whole week on 10 dollars of Food Stamps.

Good luck dude. It sucks being at the point you're at, but no worries, it'll get better.

jeddy lee

Oh, and the stimulus bill also increased food stamp allotments, so that's good. They pay for pretty much anything edible at approved stores. West Coast you got walmart, freds, and safeway. Costco does not accept them. You can get a list of specifically the items that are eligible (yes, if you wanted to buy nothing but doritos and mountain dew, you could, just don't, that's a waste and many people would call it abuse of state funds).

You can also purchase certain items to grow your own food.

Fats

I'm fairly sure Winco accepts EBT as well, I find them to be cheaper than Safeway/Fred's on the same items.

Pojaco

real_pochacco wrote: »

Any tips on how to get food stamps? I'm in Portland, OR if that matters. Also, what kinds of groceries can you usually get with them?

Go to the DHS office closest to you. If you're in the NE like me, then it is located at:

5022 N Vancouver Ave
Portland, OR 97217

- Fill out an application (you can do it in advance if you print it out online)
- Go to DHS office a few minutes before they open in the morning, this way you don't have to have an appointment and can usually see a rep. within a few minutes. They will go over your app, determine you are poor, and will either help you immediately or tell you to come back for an appt.
- If you are broke like me and need stamps quickly, they will tell you to come in early in the morning again to avoid appointment waiting list.
- The next time you talk to someone (after your app has been processed) they will issue you a card and benefits around $150 or so a month.

- The card works like a debit card with a pin, and can be used to purchase any food items that are cold and/or are not for consuming in the store itself. (So at New Seasons you could buy a salad to go with food stamps but not a salad to eat in the store)
- You can't buy booze, or soap, or toothpaste, or toilet paper, or hot soup. But you can buy coffee beans, candy, ice cream, expensive meat, fresh produce. Also, you can use food stamps at most of the farmers' markets in town.

- Umm, if you need to know anything else or you need to know how to live the poor life in Portland, just PM me.

**Edit because I've read the whole thread now:

Food stamps is not a long process, it is surprisingly easy. Especially in Portland. There are indeed plenty of ways to eat for free/cheap in Portland and combining that knowledge with food stamps will make you food stamps royalty. Just go to the DHS office closest to you with the application already filled out.

Are you applying for jobs or just doing school?

Shadowfire

For the kinds of groceries, there are two different portions on an EBT card.

EBT Food - this entails just about all food items that are not prepared foods. If it is taxed, it won't apply (a cooked rotisserie chicken, for example, or salad from a salad bar). However, just about everything else works here. Meat, produce, cereal, dairy...

EBT Cash - this part takes care of everything else. Paper towels, pet food, baking supplies, and since you can withdraw cash from this portion, anything else you need.

I am unsure about certain items.. I believe medicines come out of the EBT cash part, but I'm not certain.

Best of luck to you. I've thankfully never been in that situation, but I work with plenty of people who are (some of my employees and customers), and it's not a fun situation.

freakish light

jack eddy wrote: »

Oh, and the stimulus bill also increased food stamp allotments, so that's good. They pay for pretty much anything edible at approved stores. West Coast you got walmart, freds, and safeway. Costco does not accept them. You can get a list of specifically the items that are eligible (yes, if you wanted to buy nothing but doritos and mountain dew, you could, just don't, that's a waste and many people would call it abuse of state funds).

You can also purchase certain items to grow your own food.

In South Carolina at least you can't get precooked meals because we have a 7% prepared food tax. So hot rotisserie chickens or chicken tenders are out. Also I've seen some energy drinks get rejected by the system.

Otherwise I have seen crazy things charged to food stamps. One guy came in and bought $45 worth of soda with his.

I work in a grocery store.

(Also we just started charging tax on coupons -- so if you bring coupons with your food stamp order also bring about ten cents in change depending on local policies)

Fats

freakish light wrote: »

(Also we just started charging tax on coupons -- so if you bring coupons with your food stamp order also bring about ten cents in change depending on local policies)

No sales tax in Oregon, so he's ok on that front.

Esh

Hi!

I have actual Oregon experience with the food stamp program. When I moved back from Rhode Island I got on 'em. It's super easy. There's a form you can fill out online, print out, and mail in. DO THIS. They'll then call you and set up an appointment with you. Go in, they interview you, tell you how much you're gonna get ($200 a month for me) issue you a card, and off you go. You're also going to have to go in for a session where they teach you how to fill out applications for jobs, etc..

The only shitty part is sitting around in the office with some serious societal rejects.

http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/assistance/foodstamps/foodstamps.shtml#apply