How to Apply for Food Stamps in PA

Having trouble putting food on your table? Let SNAP/Food Stamps help you!The U.S. government’s main food assistance program is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or “food stamps.”

This federal program is administered in Pennsylvania by the PA Department of Human Services. Food stamps are a public benefit that you can use to help you and/or your family pay for food. Most low-income households are eligible for SNAP benefits, which are automatically placed on their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card each month.

Below is information on how Just Harvest can help you access SNAP benefits as well as Frequently Asked Questions about shopping with, qualifying for, applying for, and maintaining SNAP benefits.

Get help with getting SNAP

PA Dept. of Human Services has contracted Just Harvest to provide free SNAP eligibility screenings and streamlined application assistance to residents of Allegheny County. Our decades of expertise enable us to help you with all of your SNAP/food stamps questions, problems, and concerns.

Just Harvest’s Food Stamps Team can:

orange arrowaccurately and efficiently submit a SNAP application for you – saving you time, hassle, and stress while ensuring your privacy.
orange arrowassist you with annual re-certifications; and
orange arrowprovide case advocacy regarding unfairly denied, terminated, or incorrect benefits.

Navigating the food stamps benefits system can feel discouraging or overwhelming at a time when your life is already hard enough. But you can count on our knowledgeable and compassionate team to help you at any point in the process.

NEED HELP WITH FOOD STAMPS IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PA?

We can provide a 5-minute SNAP eligibility screening, complete your SNAP application, or help you with any problems you’re having receiving SNAP!

Please fill out this form so we can contact you, or you can call us at 412-431-8960 (option 3) and leave a message to be placed on our callback list.

It may take up to two business days for our SNAP specialists to call you.

Unfortunately, if you don’t live in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Just Harvest cannot help you. Please visit this page for information on applying for SNAP elsewhere in PA, or visit this page for help with SNAP in another state.

SNAP Benefits FAQ

How can I qualify for SNAP?

The best way to find out if you are eligible for SNAP is to apply (see How do I apply? below), contact us for a free 5-minute eligibility screening, or use our SNAP screening tool. You can also read on to learn more about eligibility and whether you meet the guidelines.

You are eligible if:

  • You are a resident of the county where you are applying for benefits. (Just Harvest provides application assistance for Allegheny County.)
  • You are able to provide verification of identity.
  • All household members must have a Social Security Number or apply for one.
  • You are a U.S. citizen or a qualified non-citizen meeting the other eligibility rules. (Learn more about SNAP eligibility rules for immigrants here.)
  • You meet the work requirements for able-bodied adults. (These are currently suspended in Pennsylvania. See the last section at the bottom of this page for more info.)
  • You meet the income guidelines. (See the chart below.)

Can I qualify even if…

  • I own my own home? YES!
  • I own a car? YES!
  • I work? YES!
  • I have savings? YES! Gov. Wolf has ended the food stamp asset test, which prevented people with more than one car or a certain level of savings from applying for food stamps.
  • I am a student? YES! Students can be eligible if they meet other requirements.
  • I receive unemployment, SSI, Medicaid, or other benefits? YES! You can still receive SNAP benefits even if you receive other benefits.
  • I live with others? YES! A household is defined as anyone you buy or share food with. If you live with someone that you do not buy or share food with, they will need to sign a “purchase and prepare” statement.
  • I am not a US citizen? YES! All refugees are eligible for food stamps. Adults who have been permanent residents for 5 years and all children who are permanent residents are eligible. If you are not eligible for yourself, but you have children who are US citizens or permanent residents, you can apply for your children. Everyone you are applying for must have a Social Security Number. Learn more about SNAP and immigration.

Income Limits:

To qualify for SNAP benefits, your household has to meet certain income guidelines. First, your income has to be below the gross income limits listed in the chart below. Gross income refers to all of your earned income (like wages and salaries) and all unearned income (like public benefits and social security) before any taxes or deductions are taken out. If your household has just one or two people in it, and your gross income is below the stated limits, then you should qualify for at least the minimum benefit of $23 per month.

Households of 3 or more must have an income that is below the gross income limits and have high enough countable expenses (“deductions”) that they qualify for a benefit when the benefit amount is calculated. The deductions used in calculating your benefits are based on your family size as well as these expenses:

  • Shelter Costs: rent, mortgage, property taxes, and/or homeowners insurance
  • Utility Allowance: a standard amount that is subtracted based on which utilities you pay
  • Child Support and Child Care so that you can work
  • Out-of-Pocket Medical Expenses for anyone who is age 60 or older, or has a disability

To calculate whether your gross income and your deductions might qualify you for SNAP, you can use our SNAP eligibility screening tool.

SNAP Income Guidelines in Pennsylvania (Oct. 1, 2023 – Sep. 30, 2024)

Household Size

Maximum Gross
Monthly Income for All Households

Monthly
Benefit Amount

1

$2,430

$23 – $291

2

$3,288

$23 – $535

3

$4,144

up to $766

4

$5,000

up to $973

5

$5,858

up to $1,155

6

$6,714

up to $1,386

7

$7,570

up to $1,532

8

$8,428

up to $1,751

9

$9,286

up to $1,970

Each additional family member

+$858

up to +$219

How much in food stamps am I entitled to?

The amount you get in SNAP benefits is based on your income and eligible deductions. The minimum benefit amount for households with just one or two people is $23 each month. The maximum benefit amounts are provided in the table above.

People who get SNAP/food stamps but not cash assistance and are in a welfare Employment and Training Program are eligible for the same special allowances that cash assistance recipients get. They can get help to pay for childcare, transportation, and school expenses like books. Ask your caseworker if you are interested in participating in an Employment & Training Program.

How do I apply?

PLEASE NOTE: As of April 1, 2023, the PA Dept. of Human Services has suspended all interviews for SNAP applications through March 31, 2024. No one should be denied SNAP for missing an interview.

  • The County Assistance Offices (CAO) will be able to process expedited benefits without contacting the household.
  • If there is something unclear on an application and they need to contact the households, they should still be calling people. If no one answers, they will include the missing information on the list of things that need to be verified.
  • They can now accept verbal signatures over the phone (and just write it into the case notes) if something needs to be signed or they missed a signature form.

What if I’m in a financial crisis?

If you are in an emergency situation, make sure you tell the Dept. of Human Services County Assistance Office. You may qualify for “expedited benefits,” which means that you can receive your SNAP/food stamp benefits within five days.

You can qualify to get SNAP sooner if your household:

  • has less than $150 in monthly income and less than $100 available in cash, or
  • has housing and utility costs for the month that are more than your income, or
  • includes only migrant or seasonal farmworkers with less than $100 cash.

How do I continue to receive SNAP benefits?

You will need to report any household changes semi-annually (every six months) and be recertified for SNAP/food stamp benefits every 12 months. PA Dept. of Human Services will automatically mail you a Semi-Annual Reporting Form (SAR) and an annual renewal packet.

PLEASE NOTE: As of April 1, 2023, the PA Dept. of Human Services has suspended all interviews for SNAP renewals and recertifications through March 31, 2024. No one should be denied SNAP for missing an interview.

orange arrow Learn more about PA rules for maintaining your SNAP benefits

Time limit on SNAP for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs):

Since 1997, federal law has required some unemployed adults with no documented disabilities and no dependent children to work or participate in a job training activity. Otherwise, they face a SNAP time limit and can only receive food stamps for three months in a three-year period.

In March 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, Congress suspended this SNAP time limit until one month after the federal emergency declaration ended. The emergency declaration ended in May, but Pennsylvania is currently protected from the return of work requirements.

States are allowed to waive the SNAP time limit for areas where the unemployment rate is significantly higher than the national average.  Pennsylvania has that kind of waiver in place for the entire state through September 1, 2024. If Pennsylvania no longer qualifies for this waiver, we will update this section to include more rules about who will be subject to the SNAP time limit and how they can maintain their SNAP benefits.