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While there is not one single guideline that determines if a person is eligible for SNAP it is based primarily on household income and certain expenses. Most applicants will not be asked for proof of money in the bank or other resources.
If you could use help affording food, you should find out if you are eligible for SNAP by calling the FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333 and a counselor will "pre-screen" you for SNAP to determine your eligiblity.
This chart is only a guideline. More than just gross household income is used to calculate SNAP eligibility and benefit levels, including household expenses and other expenses. The best thing to do is call Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline and ask a counselor to pre-screen you for SNAP. They will tell you if you are eligible and for how much after all your income and expenses are taken into account.
If you purchase food and prepare more than ⅔ of your meals together, you are a household.
When calculating your SNAP benefit level, all household members’ income and expenses are taken into account.
Don't wait! Call or Live Chat a FoodSource Hotline Counselor to learn if you are eligible for SNAP and to get help applying today!
When you call Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline, our counselors will pre-screen you for SNAP to determine if you are eligible.
Here is what you can expect:
SNAP prescreens are a way for the FoodSource Hotline to determine a households eligibility status before applying for benefits. The more information callers have available when they call can help the pre-screen process go quicker. It is helpful for the callers to have on hand:
With help:
Call Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333, and our counselors will help you apply for SNAP over the phone.
On your own:
You can complete and submit a SNAP applictation on your own, online through DTA Connect.
You can fax a paper application to 617-887-8765 or mail it to:
DTA Document Processing Center
PO Box 4406
Taunton, MA 02780
Once your application has been received, a caseworker from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) will call you to conduct an interview over the phone. Your caseworker is the person you will work with and send updates to until your application is complete.
*Interviews are currently being waived during the pandemic. Interviews are only required at this time if you do not submit all of the necessary paperwork
You can submit verifications with your application or separately. You have 30 days to submit these documents to your DTA. These include:
Identity for Head of Household (driver's license, birth certificate, passport)
Proof of MA residence (bill, lease agreement, bank statement, mail)
Social security numbers for all household members applying
Proof of income for the previous four weeks (pay stubs last month, pension, child support, etc).
Immigration Status for non-citizens (proof of legal non-citizen status if you or a household member is applying for SNAP but is not a U.S. citizen)
A note on shelter & utilities: You do not have to send verifications of shelter or utility expenses unless requested by DTA because you directly answer these questions in the application.
Additionally, these optional documented expenses may significantly increase your benefit amount:
Child and adult care expenses
Housing costs (rent or mortgage and utilities)
Out-of-pocket medical expenses (if age 60 or over, or disabled)
Child support payments being made to a child living outside of the household
If you are having trouble getting proofs, ask DTA for help!
You can upload your verifications online, mail copies (do not send originals), fax them, or bring them to your local DTA office.
If you mail or fax the verifications be sure to include your name and the last four number of your social security number on each of the documents. Verifications should be sent to:
DTA
PO Box 4406
Taunton, MA 02760-9975
FAX NUMBER: 617-887-8765
Once all of the verifications have been received and the interview completed (when applicable), DTA will determine your eligibility and send an approval or denial letter.
You may receive an EBT card in the mail within 10-30 business days. Until the DTA processes and approves your application, you will not have any benefits on your card. Benefits are electronically transferred onto the card once the case is approved.
Once your EBT card arrives in the mail, pin your card by calliing the EBT Line: 1-800-997-2555
SNAP recipients are also automatically enrolled in The Healthy Incentives Program (HIP).
HIP puts money back on your EBT card* when you use SNAP to buy healthy, local fruits and vegetables from HIP farm vendors (up to a monthly cap of $40, $60, or $80).
If you have questions about how to apply for SNAP in Massachusetts, call Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333.
To get information from the DTA about your pending case, call the DTA Assistance Line at 1-877-382-2363.
Have questions or want to find out if you are eligible for SNAP? Start a chat with a Project Bread FoodSource Hotline counselor using the Live Chat feature below!