Residents in the State of Illinois who have no or low income might be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is more commonly referred to as food stamps. If you live in Illinois and are having trouble budgeting for your family's food, this guide will show you how to apply for food stamps in Illinois.

Food stamp benefits, (now called Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program--SNAP), is a government program funded through federal trickle-down grant monies that are managed by the State of Illinois and is distributed through local agencies in each city or township. The federal government sets minimum qualifying guidelines for food stamp SNAP requirements, and Illinois follows the federal mandated income requirements

Illinois uses a debit card system for crediting food stamps benefits to a recipient's account. The plastic SNAP card, similar to a debit or credit card, is electronically loaded with a dollar value that can be used at a store that accepts the program cards to purchase unprepared food and seeds. Food stamps cannot usually be used to purchase hot or prepared food, but in some instances of natural disasters, the government will make temporary exceptions.

Food stamps in Illinois are not intended to feed an entire family for the month, but rather are intended to help a family stretch or supplement their own food budget. A family receiving food stamp assistance should be prepared to purchase some of their household's meal needs with their own money or supplement their nutritional needs with other government programs such as WIC or through charitable agencies.

Angel Food Ministries is another way a family can spend their food stamp monies and help stretch their grocery budget with good-quality and nutritious foods at reduced prices. Most Angel Food Ministry locations accept food stamps for payment.

When applying for food stamps, you will be required to provide certain documentation in order to be considered for receiving benefits. These documents include but are not limited to:

• Government Issued Identification Card (Driver's license, passport, resident alien card, etc.)
• Social Security Card for all Household Members
• Birth Certificates for Children without Social Security Cards
• Proof of Citizenship or Resident Alien Status
• Proof of Address
• Proof of Income (Paystubs, letter from employer, child support reports, Social Security Disability payments, etc)
• Proof of Rent/Mortgage Payments
• Proof of Utility Payments
  

Some states also require proof that all children in the household are current on their immunizations and are currently enrolled in and attending school. You should be prepared to bring immunization records and school records (such as a report card or enrollment papers) to prove this just in case.

NOTE: Income is required to be reported for all household members, not just the person applying for benefits, so if a husband, wife, child or other family member or housemate is bringing in income, this must be reported when applying for food stamp benefits. If the person doesn't contribute to the household food budget, their income may be excluded, but you are required to report it. Food stamps are only available to low-income families or individuals.

In the State of Illinois, you have the option for applying for food stamps via print application or online application. If you want to apply by print application, you'll need to either visit and pick up an application at your local office or call and ask for an application to be mailed to you. If you prefer to apply online, you may do so be visiting the Illinois Department of Human Services Online Web Benefits Application website to apply. http://fspp.dhs.state.il.us/register/wb/wbHomePre.do

Fill out all the information on the application completely and accurately. You are signing the application under penalty of fraud if you falsify any information and you may be subject to repaying any benefits you receive for which you were not eligible. Once completed, submit the application by either mailing it in, dropping it off at the local office, or by clicking the submit button on the online form.

After your application for food stamps is submitted, someone from the Illinois Department of Human Services will contact you pertaining to your application. If you are disabled, elderly, ill, rural, or unable to come into the local office for an interview, one can be scheduled for you over the telephone. During the eligibility interview, you might be asked some uncomfortable questions, including income, family member's incomes, education levels, race, and more. Some of these things are required and some are optional.

It's important that you are truthful in the eligibility interview. If you have not provided all the necessary documentation from the first step of this guide, the eligibility worker will ask for copies of whatever documentation is missing. Once you provide that, the eligibility worker will have a specific period of time to review your case and make a determination of eligibility. You will be informed by postal mail of your eligibility and benefit amount, usually within 30 days of your application. http://fspp.dhs.state.il.us/register/wb/wbHomePre.do

In some instance, when your financial situation is considered an emergency, an application for SNAP food stamp assistance in Illinois can be approved in less than a 24-hour turnaround. To qualify, you must have little to no resources and a very low-income, as well as no food in the home. If you are requesting expedited services, you will need to go to your local office in person.

If you do not qualify for expedited services, but are in need of food until your benefits are considered, the Department of Human Services may be able to give you a referral to a charitable organization to receive packages of food to feed your family until your benefits are available to you. Do not be afraid to ask for this referral if you need it. The eligibility worker cannot know how difficult your situation is without you telling him or her, so be sure to let them know what you need.