SNAP Cost of Living Adjustment Update Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries will see a change to their benefits due to the annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) that occurs at the start of every federal fiscal year (Oct. 1). Learn more about the upcoming changes here: https://dhs.ri.gov/programs-and-services/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/supplemental-nutrition-0
Interpretation Services Available If you are seeking information about DHS programs and services in a language other than English, please be advised that interpretation services and/or interpreters are available to you at no cost. Persons with disabilities requiring another form of communication, such as auxiliary aids for hearing and the visually impaired, can inform DHS about their needs so appropriate accommodations can be made.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) SNAP, formerly called food stamps, is the nation's largest program for fighting domestic hunger. Federally funded and state administered through our Department, we are committed to providing low-income individuals and families with resources to purchase food. Eligibility and benefit amounts are based on income, expenses, resources and the number of people living in a household. Recipients get an EBT card that can be used at supermarkets, grocery/convenience stores, farmers' markets and participating online retailers. Stores interested in accepting EBT can go here. Click here for more information on becoming a retailer for the online purchasing program. Since March 2020, some SNAP households have received extra benefits called emergency allotments to help during the pandemic. In April 2021, the federal government made a change to allow more SNAP households to receive these extra benefits. You can read more here. NOTE: Extra benefits need to be approved by the federal government on a month to month basis, and DHS announces the decisions widely each month. Customer Information Eligibility & How to Apply Verification Checklist and Documents You May Need Forms (Recertification, Interim Reporting, Change, Loss of Food) What Can I Buy with SNAP? EBT Card Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents (ABAWDS) Appeals Overpayments Resources & Support P-EBT SNAP Employment & Training SNAP Outreach Toolkit Online Purchasing & Restaurant Meals Program Research, Reports & Newsletters RI Head Start SNAP-Ed Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Services RIDE Child Nutrition Services Rhode Island Community Food Bank Family Violence Option Advocacy Program Rhode Island Community Action USDA Nondiscrimination Statement In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (833) 620-1071, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to: Mail:Food and Nutrition Service, USDA1320 Braddock Place, Room 334Alexandria, VA 22314; or Fax:(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or Email:FNSCIVILRIGHTSCOMPLAINTS@usda.gov