Did anyone else wake up to missing food stamps ?

I want to express huge gratitude to this community, as I am learning a lot! I am looking for help on some additional documents I am required to submit. I wrote an earlier question on if high housing expenses prevent receiving food-stamps.

In my recertification, I provided a letter from my parents saying that they occasionally pay my housing costs, including January 2025. I also provided credit card statements showing that I owed thousands of dollars, as I have paid for my housing costs with credit.

I received a request for additional documents on Friday, and I want to take them to the Department of Family Services tomorrow, on Monday, not to delay receiving food stamps any longer. I am getting into major debt as I have to put all the food on credit card as well to feed my child.

1. The first documentation they want is: a signed letter from my parents that is dated with their phone number, and the amount that they contribute towards my housing payment, and how much do they provide monthly.
2. The second documentation they want is: a self written statement explaining what amount of the housing cost I am paying with credit card.

How should I provide/write these? I will give you additional details: My parents do not live in this country. They are in their eighties, and their English is getting shaky. Additionally there is a six hour time difference between EST and their time. Of course I will provide a phone number - would the SNAP caseworker actually call with the limitations I have outlined? My parents have paid 5 months of my housing cost from a total of 13 months. They paid it directly, so no money travelled through me. I have scrambled money together to pay the rest of the months, and some of it is on my credit cards.

I am looking for advice on what to write on the additional documents they are requesting from me. I want to give enough information, but not too much information. I have no desire to explain more than is needed, and potentially confuse them. For example, I provided credit card statements for recertification, and through your helpful comments, I learned that they are not interested in CC statements or even bank account statement, which I also provided.

I am so thankful for all of your advice! Even if I have been on food stamps for a year, I have seemed to have barely scratched the surface of it.

Okay I might be stupid but I just want to ask anyways. Does this sound like my EBT benefits were stolen?

I usually get my benefits on 2nd but the 2nd is a Sunday this month and in MA benefits due on a Sunday are deposited on a Saturday, I didn’t know this until today, I googled it.

Anyways I went into my DTA account to check my benefits, I always do this when my benefits load and before I go food shopping and it said $0. It said my next benefit would be deposited March 2nd 2025. I checked when my benefits were deposited and it said February 1st 2025. I called the number on the card to check the most recent transaction and there were three and combined they total my exact benefits amount. I did file a claim already but I’m wondering were they stolen or did DTA take my food stamps away or I don’t know.

I’m screwed this month either way, I’ll have to hit up some food pantries but they aren’t open on the weekends and I only have weekends off for the next couple of weeks, and I can’t take time off of work. By the time I get out of work they’re closed and aren’t open before I go to work. I have so much anxietyyyyyy. Anyways let me know what you guys think? Thank you.

In Alabama and Mississippi, and Louisiana, the EBT Cards are not secure. VISA and Mastercard both have enhanced security features. It is time for EBT to be upgraded to chip cards. Every state needs to have a card lock feature. Every state should have an EBT online account check that includes security questions and maybe even a pin that's sent to your phone. The theft has been terrible.

There is fraud going on at grocery stores because of cloned cards and damaged EBT cards. The EBT card numbers can be keyed in at major grocery stores without a supervisor approval. The cashier isn't allowed to verify that the card number being keyed in is the same as the one on that beat up/cracked/taped up card. The cashier isn't allowed to take that beat up/cracked card and key in the numbers. The customer is not required to hand that card over to the cashier. They customer can key in a number from a text message or a slip of paper. There's no verification process. The view of the credit card reader is blocked by the large register screen so the cashier can't see what's being keyed in on the card reader. The cashier isn't supposed to be watching the customer key in their EBT card number because of the store's privacy rules.

Because the EBT office, Medicaid medical offices, and the school system employees all have access to your social security number, birthdate, and address, any of those individuals can easily pass along your information to anyone. They've been committing this fraud for decades. EBT needs two-part authorization. Until SECURITY QUESTIONS are required, and pin numbers are REQUIRED TO BE CHANGED MONTHLY, EBT clients will continue to be victimized.

Contact your state representative about the fraud in your state's EBT program. Ask them what they plan to do about making it more secure. If you've been victimized, contact your local news station. They may want to conduct a Zoom call interview or they 'll interview in person. They can interview anonymously, as well.

Don't say that this is all too much. We have to do more to keep these card numbers and pins safe.

A relative of mine lives in NM and did not get SNAP on the 1st. The website says she has “no active benefit.” Anyone else?

My mom is on a fixed income and she received an increase in January. Mind you, it was a minuscule increase. About 10 bucks or so. Her food stamps amount went down by a few boxes as well. What I would like to understand is why Food stamps never go up even though grocery prices have gone up so much in the last few years. My mom can barely afford to eat.

Was supposed to be on my card on February 2 2025 woke up their was nothing on my card

I know it's an issue everywhere but any one in CT get there snap/ebt yet? Usually I get it on the 1st at like 12am. Still nothing.

So I lost food stamps for a couple of months and had to reapply. I just checked my account and it seems that it's been approved, but I'm a bit stumped about the card. When I talked to a worker, she mentioned that they'd be mailing me a card, but I already have one. Will I actually get a new card or will my previous one be activated again?

Also, the card I had been using before I lost my benefits is actually currently missing after I lost my wallet, but I have an even older one from a different time. Is it possible to reactivate the oldest card? Would I do that through the "link a card" section on the mybenefits website?

I live in NJ and I go to school full time in RI. I'm eligible to apply for snap because I do federal work study but I'm confused about what state I should apply in. I spend 8+ months out of the year in RI but I know that technically my home address is in NJ. I don't know how to have proof of residence if I'm a college student living on campus. What should I do?

so i originally get my fs deposit on the 8th of each month, i tried adding my baby to my case a few months back but my deposit stayed the same over the past few months & then figured out my child was never added to my account. i called the fs office & explained the situation & they told me she would be added when they got to my paperwork.. cool, fast forward to today Feb. 1st i checked my card & says i have a deposit which is a lot less then what i normally get… is that what’s owed from me adding my child or is this my new amount all together ? i always get a deposit on the 8th of each month so im confused.

I just got a letter they are lowering my stamps again. Like how much can they lower it till we can't afford food for the month? It's not like food is getting cheaper. 10 bucks for a bag of chicken.

I was checking my account to see if my deposit was pending for tomorrow because I had to do some surprise verification stuff at the end of last month.

That’s when I saw that there were 7 total deposits made January 30th that were varying amounts, but totaling more than my regular monthly deposit.

Does anyone have any idea what this could be about? Has anyone experience the same?

I’m in TN. The surprise verification stuff had to do with a job that I had applied for and ultimately turned down because it would have wound up that I made less there than my current job, so I had to verify that I either got a paycheck or did not switch jobs.

last month, I called my card to see if I had any benefits on my card and it let me know that I had two pending benefits that were going to be deposited on 1st ofJanuary. The next morning, I called my card to make sure my benefits were deposited and my food stamps benefit was deposited, but my cash aid was not deposited. I thought it was a mistake so I planned on visiting the office, but life happens and I got sick with the flu along with the holidays that restricted me from going. I still called my worker, but she doesn’t call me back at a timely manner so I thought by February 1, I should have both January and February benefits on my card. Just like the previous month I called a day before the first to make sure that I had two pending and I did. I woke up at two in the morning and I called and it was deposited in my account fast-forward to 9 AM I thought “let me go take the money out right away and I’ll go Monday too Tackle the problem for January 1”. I called my card again to make sure how much I was getting for food stamps and was told that my cash aid benefits was withdrawn. I was highly confused because I literally just called at two in the morning. This is what led me to investigate further. I checked the benefits.com and lo and behold my account was withdrawn earlier that morning, so I quickly cancel my card and submitted a fraud alert on my account. I called the EBT customer care hotline, and this is when I fell to my knees because I learned that the scammers change my pin and the only way to change my pin is to know the social security number and birthdate and they have both. I do not know how they got my Social Security nor birthday information from a scanner, but please be aware!

Currently, I’m on food stamps, live with family, and I’m 26. I do gig jobs and make around $200 a month, and I receive $292 in SNAP benefits. From what I understand, the income limit in New York is around $1,600 monthly to still be eligible.

My question is: If I pick up a part-time job but still stay under that income threshold, will I continue to receive the full $292, or does the amount I receive change based on how much I make?

Would appreciate any insight from those who’ve been in a similar situation!

We have a child together, but we do not live together, and he does not support me financially. I can’t call to ask someone until Monday and I’m very worried about losing my food stamps. They are also requesting specifically income verification from a job he used to have, like months ago, not the one he has now. I did recently start the process of adding her to my household, but it doesn’t say anything about her on it, just says they need it to determine my eligibility for food assistance. Is it likely this is a mistake, or is it probably for something else and not going to affect my stamps? If the second option, what would they be sending this for?

So my benefits were lowered drastically last month and I was concerned so I called my SNAP office in my county. I was told someone that my case worker may have put my info into the system incorrectly ( my case worker has also been passive agressive with me in the past) So I decide that I want to file a complaint and steak to a supervisor after the lady on the phone suggests that I should due to " workers being nasty and mistreating ppl there". I get a call back around 20 minutes later and when I answer im met with a " what do u want? Whats the problem?" No hello and no name. She proceeds to just ask me if the paystubs I sent in were accurate, over talking me and repeating herself after I inquired about my morgage amount that was on file ( 1st lady on the phone told me it was around 400 dollars off the correct amount) and also wanted to verify that I got bonus pay the month of the paystubs so it didnt reflect what I make monthy throughout the year. The supervisor then says that im being loud and cutting her off which I wasnt. So I stay completely quite and let her repeat herself about the paystubs. Then I asked her if it was my turn to talk and she pretends to have phone problems , shouts "hello" several times then hangs up. I know she was full of shit because I didnt get a call back. I call back the next day and they dont pick up. I use my wifes phone and they finally respond, put me on with another lady who tells me the same thing about my paystubs and I shit u not, does that hello thing to me a few times before hanging up on me also. My wife couldnt believe it so I called back again and put it on speaker. A 3rd person answers, doesnt ask me who I am or for my case number and tells me the same shit the other ppl did. I told her that the numbers are wrong on my account and im afraid of going in person due to potentially being mistreated. I thank her anyway and ask for her name for my records and she just hangs up on me. I have filed for a fair hearing through the mail and left several messages with the fair hearing department and have gotten 0 response back. This is all in Mercer County NJ btw. What do I do because they cut literally 80% of my money and I also didnt recieve my help for electric and gas like I usually do

For context, I’m in CO.

In August I received a life insurance payout of $108,000. I spent $9000 on funeral costs for my mom, random necessities, and my wedding dress (my mom’s wish). I have $99,000 in savings as of today.

I was under the impression that life insurance money, since it isn’t included as taxable income, did not count. When I applied for SNAP/Medicaid, I did not have this money. When I renewed, I just clicked through all the boxes quickly and forgot one of the things was savings, so there, I did lie. I guess for whatever reason I thought it didn’t count because I didn’t earn that money as income. No clue what I was thinking, my mom had just died and I was a mess is all I can chalk it up to.

Now, the money is in an investment account I can’t access without closing the account, waiting a few weeks, and paying a huge fee. But at the time, it was in my savings. The money will not be reported on my taxes (my dad’s tax man said so, idk).

I just want to avoid getting in trouble. I’ll call them Monday morning and report the change. I only made 11k last year, my income and everything else is entirely truthful. I really depend on that money and I struggle to pay my bills, I was really just trying to be responsible and save that money for retirement. I am going to piss through that $99k in probably less than two years if I have to pay for medical expenses on top of my other necessities with it. Once I am married at the end of the year I will be able to get on his work’s insurance which will deeply help with that but for now I simply can’t afford it making $19/hr 20 hours a week.

Am I just completely and totally fucked?

Hello, I was just wondering if anyone knew if Snap dose backpayemnts and what the process is like.

I was on food stamps from November 2023 to July 2024, I had my benefits stopped due to an issue getting verification from my old job. I had been working at Family dollar from November 2023 to around May 2024 and found a different job. I had received a letter in June of 2024 stating that my food stamps would stop unless I gave them confirmation of my income. They had sent me the paperwork for my old employer to fill out and gave me up until July to get it done.

The issue started before I had quit Family dollar, my old manger had put in his two weeks notice a week before I was supposed to go on a trip to New York back in April. When I returned from that trip my old manger was gone and my store was left without an actual manager for about a month. I had quit Family dollar in the beginning of May before we had gotten an official manager to work at another job. During all of this I would send in copies of my paystubs to food stamps and update them on my rent and utilities bills along with any other payments I've made.

I had gone to my old store to speak to the new manager and he had told me that he wasn't authorized to give me my old paystubs and he wasn't authorized to sign any papers. She suggested I call corporate and see if they would be able to help me. I called and left a message with corporate, waited about a week before calling again. After calling corporate about 4 times, I finally was able to speak to someone about this issue. They had suggested I mail in the paperwork with a letter explaining my situation, so that's what I did. I waited maybe 2 more weeks before calling again to check how things are going, but didn't get any updates or news.

At that point it was already past July and well into August. I was going to reapply earlier than I did, but some medical issues and other life events got in the way and I wasn't able to find the time to reapply until the beginning of January. I was able to apply and get approved within two days, though I believe the process happened so quickly because of my current situation. I was recently taken off of SSI disability and I'm in the process of Appealing their decision, I'm still waiting for them to review the continuation of benefits form I had filled out. I had received a payment of $260 and then another of $77 last Friday from them, and I should be getting another $292 from them sometime this month as well. I'm very grateful for the amount I was able to received, it'll help me alit, I won't have to worry about food for the next few months. Though, I'm not exactly sure what the two payments I had received last Friday was for exactly. When I looked at the app it didn't give me any information on them, I'm not too sure if that was back payment or some type of emergency funds.

I was speaking to my aunt about the entire situation and she suggested that I call food stamps and see if I'd be able to receive back payment for the months I went without food stamps. She says that I should me entitled to backpayemnt considering how I wasn't able to receive the papers back from family dollar, or any information on the papers from corporate.

I would just like to know if I'd have any type of case when it comes to this. I had told food stamps about me sending the paperwork to family dollar, but haven't received the papers back. Food stamps also never received those papers either. Would food stamps give me some type of backpayment? Or was the $262 and $77 a type of back payment? I was receiving $102 on the 16th of every month and had gone about 5 months without the food stamps, my last payment had been in July 2024.

I’m in MA. Me and my 5 month old qualify for stamps atm as my babies father doesn’t live with us and I have been out of work since last year for other reasons. My babies dad lives with his mom right now temporarily as we work on our relationship (he has since I was 2 months pregnant). We are doing well and I’m planning for him to move back in with us full time (he visits and stays overnight in a separate room on occasion) sometime in April so he can start contributing and helping us (he’ll pay half the rent and half the groceries so I won’t need stamps anymore.)

When do I need to report that he’s moving in? His income will definitely be enough that I no longer need stamps and I’ll hopefully be going back to work once he’s living with us. I do have a recertification coming up before my next stamp allowance so I want to figure it out before then so I can give them the facts.

Thanks

Has anyone else not received their benefits yet. I was supposed to get mine 2/1/25 and every time i call my balance is still 0.00, my case is open and i have no emails or notifications saying anything. I’m in MD.

Did anyone else not receive their SNAP benefit for February? I have not received a notice they have been discontinued and cannot contact the office until Monday (today is Saturday February 1st). I am in New York State

Normally get my benefits on the first , just checked ebtedge and I have 116.80 from an unknown benefit availability, still shows payment coming tomorrow.. anyone else? Ventura county

Anybody else randomly have theirs closed today? My friend had theirs closed today randomly- Went to refill it out & it’s got a few new questions, apparently?

Seeing if anybody else experienced this, or if this was just their time? She had just did the re-eval- so not sure what it is, but her case was randomly closed.

I live in State of California and qualify for food stamps ($23) and medi-cal. I have a HYSA and receive interest every month from my savings account. Also, I open multiple saving/checking accounts for bonuses. These bonuses pay out randomly throughout the year. For example, in Jan 2025, I received 3 bank bonuses this year. I was paid out $500, $1000, and $600 in bonuses from the bank. Next month in February, it may be none at all and can be for the month afterwards. Bonuses from bank may happen anytime of the year. I earn about $1672 a month before taxes but interest from savings will put me around $600 a month depending on the current rate offered by HYSA. For bank bonuses, it can however put me over that limit for medi cal.

My IRT shows N/A which means that I am not required to report income changes for CalFresh until your next SAR 7 or recertification, whichever comes first. I recently did my renewal for calfresh/medical in November. The caseworker I spoke to just only asked about my job and paystubs.

When applying or renewing, it doesnt mention anything regarding asset/resources or if savings interest and earning bank bonuses would count.

https://i.imgur.com/MSUk7ya.png

I’m a dental student and I’m curious if i’ll be eligible for cal fresh. I’m not working but i’m a full time student have to pay for rent and groceries. I’m taking out loans to pay for all expenses.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!