We already know that every dollar counts, and we are in a time when filling the shopping cart becomes more complicated every day. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has become a lifeline for many Texas families who have a hard time making ends meet due to low taxes. If you have ever wondered how this program works or what changes are coming, here is all the information you need.
SNAP benefits are designed so that low-income families can access nutritious and balanced foods, a fundamental right to help improve their quality of life and health. What’s new this December?
How do SNAP benefits work in Texas?
In Texas, this program (SNAP) is administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). This agency is responsible for processing all applications that come to it, determining the eligibility of each family and individual, and distributing benefits through the Lone Star Card, an electronic card that facilitates access to the allocated funds.
Requirements to apply for the SNAP program
If you are thinking of applying for this aid, you must be clear that you have to meet certain requirements required by the HHSC, and they are the following:
- Have permanent residence in the state of Texas.
- Maintain income within the established limits (that is, do not exceed the maximum threshold they ask for)
- Recertify your eligibility periodically, as indicated by the HHSC: in this case, to verify that you continue to need this aid because you have not yet found, for example, a better job that allows you to have a stable source of income.
The HHSC periodically evaluates the applications depending also on the deduction of expenses or the size of the household to provide these benefits proportionally. Each case, as we know, is different and will require different recertification periods, but these three steps ensure that the funds reach the people who truly depend on them.
Dates for December 2024
Now, if you are already a beneficiary of the program, here is the payment schedule for December. With this schedule that we are going to present to you, beneficiaries can plan when the aid will arrive and can better plan their purchases.
The funds will be deposited, as we said before, in the EBT, and according to the last two digits of your Eligibility Determination Group (EDG) number:
- Digits 00-03 and 54-57: December 16, 2024.
- Digits 04-06 and 58-60: December 17, 2024.
- Digits 07-10 and 61-64: December 18, 2024.
- Digits 11-13 and 65-67: December 19, 2024.
- Digits 14-17 and 68-71: December 20, 2024.
- Digits 18-20 and 72-74: December 21, 2024.
In the case of those people who applied for this aid after December 16, 2024, the funds will be deposited in the EBT, and according to the last two digits of your Eligibility Determination Group (EDG) number: June 1, 2020, the dates will be different and will be received between December 16 and 28.
Also, for those who applied before June 1, 2020, you will most likely have already received your payment
What are the SNAP amounts for next year?
Beginning October 1, 2024, the maximum amounts allocated have increased slightly due to the 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Here are the numbers and they depend on the number of individuals in the family:
- 1 member: $292
- 2 members: $536
- 3 members: $768
- 4 members: $975
- 5 members: $1,158
- 6 members: $1,390
- 7 members: $1,536
- 8 members: $1,756
How long does it take HHSC to process each application?
It is estimated that the process usually takes approximately 30 days, however, if it is an emergency situation, the application could be accepted in less than a week.
What foods can be purchased with SNAP?
SNAP is designed to be spent only on basic necessities, such as meat, fruit, vegetables, fish and dairy products. This check can only be redeemed at merchants that accept the Lone Star Card and have been approved as participating in the SNAP program.