The Federal Food Stamps program is now known as The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It is a federal program that is administered by each state. Each state has its own application process. Twenty-three (23) states now allow online registration for Food Stamps; however in some states only residents of certain counties are allowed to register online.http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/applicant_recipients/apply.htm This How to apply for Food Stamps Online page will provide information to get you started on the online application process.

The first food stamp program was implemented in 1939 to 1943, then it was reintroduced in 1961. It was continued by the Food Stamp act of 1977 with a major overhaul by the Mickey Leland Childhood Hunger Relief Act in 1993. Then the food stamp program was reauthorized by the Farm Bill of 2002. Currently, the food stamp program was reauthorized by the 2008 Farm Bill and the name was changed to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on October 1, 2008. Participation in SNAP reached an all time high (not considering in August, 2008 with 29 million receipts each month.

The SNAP program is administered by individual states and each state has it own application process. States are beginning to develop online registration programs, to date, the states that allow online registration are: Arizona, Maryland, Nebraska, California, Delaware, Utah, Florida, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, Massachusetts, Washington, Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Iowa, Tennessee, Michigan, and Texas.http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/applicant_recipients/apply.htm

There is an online pre-screening tool that will allow one to determine if they will be eligible. Before you begin the pre-screening collect the necessary information, you will need to know earnings, amount of rent or mortgage payments, average utility bills, andy income from child support payments, cost of day care, current medical bills (if you are 60 or older, or disable), and, if applicable, SSI, social security or VA payments.http://www.snap-step1.usda.gov/fns/

You will begin by going to the website for your state. You will find links to the states that allow online registration on the sidebar of this page. Then you will need to be prepared to register, for some states this simply requires a username and password, others may require an email address as well. Applying is simply a matter of following the directions on the state's website. The videos above give a walk through for applying in Pennsylvania and Florida. The process in other states is similar to these two states.

Each state has their own registration site. On the sidebar of this page you will find a link to each state that is currently offering on line registration for food stamps. If you state is not listed, check back often because this site will be updated regularly as more states add online registration.

Please note that some states only allow residents of certain counties to apply online at this time. California is currently allowing only residents ofAlpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Glenn, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Madera,Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Napa, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, and Tuolumne counties to register online; however, they are rapidly adding additional counties.

Indiana is restricted to specific counties at this time, and those wishing to apply must go to the Indiana state website and use their Qual-Check program by entering county of residence, to determine if residents of that county are allowed to apply online.

Currently, Texas allows only residents Travis, Hays and Williamson counties to register online.http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/applicant_recipients/apply.htm

• Arizona:Health Arizona
• California:C4Yourself
• Delaware:Assist
• Florida:DCF State of Florida
• Georgia:Compass
• Illinois:FSPP
• Indiana:FSSA
• Iowa:OASIS
• Kansas:SRS Kansas
• Maryland:Sail
• Massachusetts:Food Stamps
• Michigan:Bridges
• Nebraska:Access
• New Jersey:Access
• Pennsylvania:Compass
• Rhode Island:Foodstamps RI
• Tennessee:Food Assistance
• Texas:Your Benefits Texas
• Utah:Utah Helps
• Virginia:Virginia Food
• Washington (state):DSHS
• Wisconsin:Access