Rhode Island Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

The Department of Human Services (DHS) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps single adults, couples, children and families, who may be working but are still struggling financially, to buy food and provide nutritional meals for themselves. The program, the largest food and nutrition support program in the state, is a partnership between the Federal Government and the state. The Federal Government pays the full cost of an individual's SNAP benefits and approximately half of the state's cost to administer the program. Like several other DHS programs, adults qualify to receive SNAP benefits based on their income, the resources they have and the number of individuals in their household. SNAP is an important part of the services offered by DHS, but individuals do not need to be participating in other DHS programs, including the Family Independence Program, to receive SNAP benefits. They can be unemployed, working, preparing for work, or receiving a pension to qualify for SNAP benefits. Homeless individuals can also qualify to receive SNAP benefits. Additional eligibility criteria will also be taken into consideration including the amount of resources an individual/household owns (e.g., cash, stocks, bonds, checking/savings accounts, automobiles, etc.) before eligibility is determined.