Food Stamps

With the New Hampshire food stamps program, enrollees have a lot of freedom regarding what types of food and beverages they can purchase. Currently referred to as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP food stamps have been around for decades. This program is available throughout the country, and its goal is to provide qualifying low-income families with funds they can use to buy groceries. Ultimately, the program aims eliminate childhood and adult hunger throughout the nation.

Tens of thousands of New Hampshire residents collect food assistance each month. However, petitioners must first complete an application and an interview with the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHS). More specifically, SNAP in NH is under the jurisdiction of the Division of Family Assistance (DFA), which is part of the DHHS. With this in mind, claimants need to prepare their applications for the state department to review. The following sections explain how petitioners must submit and prepare their documents in order to have the best chance of being accepted into the program. Moreover, additional sections also explain how applicants can prepare for other aspects of the enrollment process, such as accessing their program cards and renewing their claims.

What are food stamps in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire SNAP food benefits work similarly to programs in other parts of the country. This is mostly due to the fact that the federal government funds the food stamps program, which means that each state must follow national guidelines regarding how they manage their initiatives. However, as is the case with NH, individual states have some say in how they distribute their food stamps benefits among qualifying residents. As a result, claimants must be sure they understand their state-specific requirements before they apply.

New Hampshire Food Stamps Requirements

The DHHS outlines several food stamps requirements in New Hampshire that claimants must meet if they would like to qualify for SNAP. These requirements can be divided into general and financial categories. The general requirements are listed here:

• Citizenship and immigration status – Petitioners who would like to collect food stamps need to be U.S. citizens or be legally present in the country.
• New Hampshire residency – Claimants must be legal residents of NH.
• Social Security Number (SSN) – Across the country, food stamps eligibility requirements generally indicate that applicants must report their SSNs to their SNAP departments before they can access benefits.

Additionally, claimants who want to qualify for food assistance must be aware of the state’s financial prerequisites for enrollment, as well. These regulations are as follows:

• Family income – Total net household income must fall at or below the maximum income limits permitted for a family’s size.
• Household assets – In some cases, family resources need to be within a certain limit in order for households to be eligible for SNAP funding. Specifically, petitioners who have a household member who is older than 60 years of age or who is disabled may not have assets that exceed $3,250. However, families without members that fall into these categories may not have total assets that exceed $2,250.

Additionally, claimants who are classified as able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) have one more SNAP eligibility requirement to meet. Petitioners who fall into this category are between the ages of 18 and 49, and they do not have dependents who are younger than 18 years of age. As such, these candidates may only receive SNAP funding for three months during a three-year period until they meet additional work requirements. To continue collecting food stamps past the three months, these applicants must work at least 80 hours a month or meet certain other requirements.

How to Apply for Food Stamps in New Hampshire

Prospective candidates who want to know how to apply for food stamps in New Hampshire need to remember that they have several options they can take advantage of when applying for funding. One of the easiest ways for claimants to file their petitions is to submit an online food stamps application through the DHHS website. Applicants can accomplish this on their own private computers or by using public devices at libraries.

Alternatively, candidates who have internet access but do not wish to file their applications online may print their applications from the state website and then mail their completed forms to the department. Also, claimants without access to computers or the internet may call the Client Services Call Center and request an application from the DHHS. Then, the department will mail the forms to individuals who wish to apply for food assistance. Once they complete these documents, petitioners must mail their applications back to the department.

Preparing for the New Hampshire Food Stamps Interview

Sometimes, a claimant may need to participate in a New Hampshire food stamps interview with a DHHS case worker. These conversations occur when the department needs to see proof that validates whether or not claimants qualify for funds. Therefore, petitioners wondering, “What do you need for the food stamps interview?” may consider bringing proof of the following items:

• Identification – Social Security card, driver’s license and passport
• Student status – School enrollment forms
• Assets – Bank statements, retirement accounts, investments, etc.
• Vehicles – Registration or titles for all cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats
• Income and earnings – Pay stubs, tax statements and public benefits receipts
• Expenses – Bills relating to health care, child care and utilities

How to Use the New Hampshire EBT Card

The New Hampshire EBT card, which stands for electronic benefits transfer card, provides access and other benefits to SNAP enrollees. Since these EBT cards appear and function like any other debit card, food stamps recipients may swipe them at point-of-sale machines to utilize their program funds.

Once they understand that the only way to access their SNAP benefits is to have these cards, new enrollees want to know, “How long does it take to get a New Hampshire EBT card?” The department is usually prompt when it comes to distributing these cards. As a result, claimants will receive their cards soon after they have been admitted into the program.

Once petitioners start using their cards, they may want to know how to check their EBT card balance. Enrollees who are sure of their balances before they go grocery shopping can save themselves the headache of not having enough money in their accounts to pay for their purchases. In order to review their balances and past purchases, recipients can either view their accounts online or call the EBT customer service center for information.

How to Appeal a New Hampshire Food Stamps Denial

Claimants who receive an NH food stamps denial from the DFA may be interested in appealing these decisions. These petitioners have the right to file an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Unit (AAU). Applicants who had their food stamps application denied should know that this unit operates independently from the DHHS, so claimants will have a third-party member re-evaluating their cases. Within these requests, petitioners must be sure they include the following information:

• Their names, phone numbers, addresses and email addresses
• When their determination notices are dated
• An explanation of why they are filing these requests

In order to start the food stamps appeal process, claimants must also be sure to provide a copy of the determinations they are appealing. Furthermore, petitioners must be sure that the department receives their requests within 90 days from when the DHHS issued its decisions. Finally, applicants need to be sure they deliver their appeals to the AAU directly or to their local district SNAP offices.

How to Renew Your Food Stamps in New Hampshire

When claimants submit a food stamps renewal in New Hampshire, they must be sure to provide the DHHS with relevant information regarding their households’ eligibility for SNAP. This means that petitioners need to report any changes to their family’s income levels, employment statuses, expenses and assets. Likewise, they need to disclose if anyone moved into or out of their homes since they last applied for SNAP.

In order to file these documents, claimants may either renew their food stamps online or turn in a paper application to the DHHS. Regardless of how they choose to submit their applications, it is important that they remember they need to provide the department with as accurate of information as possible. A food stamps renewal application is just as official as an initial SNAP petition. Therefore, claimants need to be sure that they are being completely honest with the information they submit to the department. Failing to provide accurate facts may cause the DHHS to reject claimants’ petitions, even if they had previously been receiving food stamps.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What income do you need to have in order to be eligible for food stamps in New Hampshire?

In order to qualify for New Hampshire food stamps, you must meet requirements as they relate to your income and number of members in your household. The following is a list of the members per household and minimum monthly income requirements in order to qualify for food stamps in New Hampshire:
1 $1,276
2 $1,726
3 $2,177
4 $2,628
5 $3,078
6 $3,529
7 $3,980
8 $4,430
9 $4,881
10 $5,332
11 $5,783
12 $5,234
13 $6,685
14 $7,136
15 $7,587
16 $8,038
17 $8,489
18 $8,940
19 $9,391
20 $9,842

What is Market Match?

In New Hampshire, there is a 2 for 1 incentive program called Market Match. By using Market Match, you can get another dollar for every dollar you spend at the local Farmers Market. Simply ask your vendor if they participate in the Market Match program.

Besides minimum income, what are the general requirements for applying for food stamps in New Hampshire?

Some of the general requirements for applying for food stamps may include:
Social Security number
Proof of Residency
Proof of Citizenship/Immigration & Identity
Documents with living arrangement information

Are emergency benefits available in New Hampshire?

Yes. If you don’t have the money to cover your current expenses, or you are homeless, you may qualify for expedited food assistance. People who qualify for emergency food benefits will usually receive benefits with 7 days, if not sooner.

Helpful Links : You can visit the New Hampshire food stamp website here.