The USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food assistance in Florida, provides monthly benefits to eligible low-income individuals and families. SNAP benefits may be used to purchase qualifying food items at participating locations.

                By                    Josephine Nesbit

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Florida food assistance is administered by the Florida Department of Children and Families Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency (ESS), which is also responsible for determining eligibility for SNAP by using federal guidelines. 

In Florida, healthy and able-bodied adults between the ages of 18 and 49 — who don’t have dependent children — may only receive food assistance for three months in a 36-month period if they aren’t working (or participating in a work program). Florida has a work requirement provision and a child support provision tied to SNAP and food assistance benefits as well.

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SNAP benefits are deposited onto electronic benefits transfer cards, or EBT cards, which work just like a credit or debit card. EBT cards may be used to purchase eligible items at participating merchants, ATM machines and at the point of sale. 

Eligible items include foods or beverages meant for human consumption, excluding alcohol, tobacco and hot foods — or food ready for immediate consumption. SNAP benefits may also be used to purchase seeds and plants for use in gardens to produce food.

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Florida’s SNAP benefits are sent out from the 1st to the 28th of every month, based on the 9th and 8th digits of your Florida case number (read backwards) after dropping the 10th digit. Here are Florida’s food assistance payment dates:

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