SNAP

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly called Food Stamps, helps low-income households buy groceries. SNAP is the nation's most effective anti-hunger program, feeding hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans each month. Eligible households receive an EBT card that can be used to purchase food at participating retailers. Money is loaded onto the card each month. EBT cards are like debit or credit cards and are swiped by the cashier at check-out.

SNAP eligibility is determined by how much money your household makes and is based on both gross income and net income

View SNAP income limits.

Special Cases of SNAP Eligibility

Seniors & People with Disabilities

If you are age 60 or older or have a disability, certain out-of-pocket medical expenses over $35 per month may be deducted from your income. These deductions can improve your eligibility or increase your monthly SNAP benefit.

College Students

Join TJC’s College Hunger Coalition to learn more and advocate for increased access to SNAP.

Immigrants

Some immigrants qualify for SNAP. Read more here. Children with qualifying immigration statuses may be eligible even if their parents or guardians do not have a qualifying status.

People Without Stable Housing

You can still qualify for SNAP even if you do not have a permanent address. A SNAP card can be mailed to an address where you receive mail, sent to an organization that accepts mail for you, or picked up at a local SNAP office.

Some people may qualify for expedited SNAP, which means they could receive SNAP benefits in 7 days. To qualify, one of the following must be true for the household:

Have less than $150 in monthly income and less than $100 in resources

Have housing costs higher than their monthly income

Do seasonal farm or migrant work

Some participants are time limited to just three months on SNAP during a three-year period unless they are working at least 20 hours a week or can prove that they are unable to work.

Learn more about time limits and work requirements in the “SNAP 3-Month Time Limits” Flyer on TJC’s tools and trainings page.

SNAP Benefits Stolen?

SNAP provides food assistance through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards based on documented need. Unfortunately, there are criminals who have figured out how to steal these benefits, and currently, there is no path to reimburse stolen benefits in Tennessee. To help protect your benefits, take the following actions: 

Pay close attention to card activity. Report any suspicious activity to DHS right away. Card balance and transactions can be monitored by calling 888-997-9444 or at one.dhs.tn.gov.

If you have access to a smart phone, download the ebtEDGE App to lock your card until you are ready to use it. Apps like Propel allow you to block out of state purchases and monitor your balance. 

Change your EBT card PIN after every use by calling 888-997-9444 or visiting connectebt.com.

For updated information, including how to report stolen benefits, visit this TDHS webpage HERE.

Lost SNAP Due to an Emergency?

Current SNAP participants who lost SNAP-purchased food because of a power outage lasting 12 or more hours or a household misfortune may qualify for Replacement SNAP benefits. To receive replacement benefits, submit a Replacement SNAP Request Form to DHS within 10 days of the incident.

Find the replacement SNAP request form in English and  Spanish. 

Upload the form to your OneDHS portal, fax it to your county office, or drop it off in person.

If approved, benefits are loaded directly onto the existing EBT card.

Read more about replacement SNAP on TDHS’s webpage.

Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) is another option that can help both SNAP and non-SNAP participants after damage caused by a natural disaster like a tornado or flood. D-SNAP is only available if the state requests and receives a declaration of emergency from the President of the United States. Read more about D-SNAP here.

Apply in person or via mail

Pick up a paper application at your local SNAP office and complete it there or take it home and mail it later.

Find your county SNAP office

Need help with your application?

Apply online

Watch: How to Apply for SNAP on a Mobile Device

Watch: How to Apply for SNAP on a Desktop

After you complete the SNAP application

A DHS caseworker will contact you within 10 days by phone or mail to request documents to verify your application.

You may be asked to provide:

Copy of a birth certificate
Proof of residence
Proof of income (such as check stubs)
Bank statements
Utility bills
Rent or mortgage agreement

After you submit your verification documents, you will complete an interview to finalize the application process.

If you are eligible, a SNAP EBT card will be mailed to you within 30 days of submitting your application. Your SNAP benefits will backdate to the date of your initial application.

If you believe that your application was wrongfully denied, call TJC at, call TJC at 615-255-0331 or fill out our case inquiry form here.

If your household, income, expenses, or address change, you should report those changes to the Tennessee Department of Human Services (T-DHS) as soon as possible.

To report a change you will need to complete Change Report and submit it via mail, fax, or in person.

Access the paper change report form here

For more information and to learn how to complete and submit the form, watch this video.

Find your local DHS office

Learn more about SNAP renewals

SNAP FOR ADVOCATES

Collaborate with folks across Tennessee to discuss advocacy, casework best practices, and nutrition program updates focusing on SNAP. If you are interested in learning or sharing how SNAP impacts your work, please join our statewide network.

JOIN SNAP ACCESS GROUP

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