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- Household Composition
- Citizenship/Immigration Status
- Work Requirements
- Resources
- Income
Household Composition
Individuals residing together, but purchasing
and preparing their meals separately, may participate
in the Food Stamp Program as a separate household.
Some individuals, whether they purchase and prepare
their meals separately, must participate in the
Food Stamp Program as one household.
Individuals who must participate in the Food
Stamp Program as one household are:
- Individuals living together who purchase/prepare
their food together or will do so upon receipt
of food assistance
- Spouses living together or individuals representing
themselves as husband and wife to the community
- Individuals under 22 living with a parent
- Individuals under 18 under the parental control
of an adult living in the home; or
- Two unmarried adults living in the same home
who are parents of a mutual child
Citizenship/Immigration Status
Each member of the Food Stamp household must
be an U. S. Citizen or an immigrant admitted to
the United States under a specific immigration
status. Citizens and eligible immigrants must
also meet all other Food Stamp Program eligibility
requirements to receive assistance.
Work Requirements
Some individuals are required to participate
in Food Stamp work programs, such as, Employment
and Training and Work Fare. Some individuals have
to meet special work requirements. These are able-bodied
adults without dependent children. These individuals
must be between the ages of 18 and 49. They may
only receive Food Stamp benefits for three months
out of a 36-month period.
This requirement does not apply if the adult:
- Is working 20 hours a week (or 80 hours a
month), or is engaging in a variety of allowable
work-related activities for the same amount
of time (such as Employment and Training, JTPA,
etc.), or
- Is pregnant or disabled, or
- lives in a home where a child under the age
of 18 resides.
In addition, some adults in certain economically
distressed counties are exempt from this requirement.
Resources
Households may have $2,000 in countable resources,
such as a bank accounts and vehicles. Households
may have $3,000 if at least one person is age
60 or older or disabled. Certain resources are
not counted, such as a home and surrounding property,
and the resources of people who receive Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) or Work First.
Totally exclude the following licensed or unlicensed
vehicles, regardless of use:
- One motor vehicle per adult (age 18 or older)
or emancipated FSU
household member whether licensed or unlicensed
and
- Vehicles with equity value of less than or
equal to $1500, whether licensed or unlicensed
Totally exclude the following licensed vehicles:
- Vehicles used for long distance travel essential
to the employment of a FSU member;
- Vehicles used to transport a physically disabled
FSU member;
- Vehicles used to carry the FSU's main source
of water or heating fuel for home use;
- Income producing vehicles
- Vehicles used as a home
- Leased vehicles
For all other vehicles, count the equity value
(fair market value minus the amount owed).
Income
All households must meet an income test to receive
benefits. Income limits vary by household size.
See the NC
Division of Social Services income guidelines
for details.
To learn more about the Food Stamp Program, please
visit the United
States Department of Agriculture's web site.
Many women and children in food stamp households
are also eligible for food assistance through
the Women,
Infant and Children (WIC) program, administered
by the Buncombe County Health
Center.
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