If you are applying for any kind of public assistance or benefit in Pennsylvania, you will have to go through the www.compass.state.pa.us website. This includes food stamps, WIC, unemployment benefits and any state cash assistance. In this post, we are going to focus on how to apply for Food Stamps through the website. You can get complete instructions on how to apply for PA food assistance here or read below.
Apply for PA Food Stamps Online
The first step is to find out if you are eligible to apply. The biggest criteria you have to review is the income limits. Here is a chart showing the income eligibility criteria based on gross monthly income for your household and also income limits for households with an elderly person or disabled member.
Once you review this and are eligible, then you can follow the instructions below.
To apply, visit the COMPASS website. You will be asked to set up an account in order to submit your application. You will also be able to use this website to check the status of your application. Once you submit the application, you will be invited for an interview to review your application and also review supporting documentation on income, expenses and any exemptions you are claiming. You will be instructed on what to bring during the interview and you should make sure you bring all the documents requested so that your application is not delayed.
Once your application is approved, you will then be issued food stamps based on the number of people in your household. The higher the number of people, the more you get. You will be issued a debit card, called the EBT Card or ACCESS Card that allows you to buy food that is on the approved list. You have to make sure you don’t buy anything that is not approved, otherwise, you can lose your benefits forever.