> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How to Apply for Food Stamps and Nutrition Assistance Programs - URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/food_stapms_0119120920/ - Published: 2012-01-19T10:27:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-15T13:29:25.000Z - Description: A guide to USDA nutrition assistance programs, including SNAP, school meals and WIC, explaining that SNAP applications are handled by state and county offices rather than FNS headquarters and listing the states that accept applications online. - Author: Food Consumer - Tags: Advisories, Politics, #vivvo-import The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrition Assistance Program provides children and people with low incomes access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition education. They offer a number of programs, such as: - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also called food stamps, - school meal programs, and - Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which provides assistance to pregnant and postpartum women, and their children. SNAP benefits, or food stamps, are handled at the state level. [Find out how to apply for food stamps in your state](http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTIwMTE5LjUwODY4MDEmbWVzc2FnZWlkPU1EQi1QUkQtQlVMLTIwMTIwMTE5LjUwODY4MDEmZGF0YWJhc2VpZD0xMDAxJnNlcmlhbD0xNjg0NjY3OCZlbWFpbGlkPWZvb2Rjb25zdW1lci5vcmdAZ21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1mb29kY29uc3VtZXIub3JnQGdtYWlsLmNvbSZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpYXRlSWQ9JiYm&&&100&&&http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/applicant%5Frecipients/apply.htm&ref=foodconsumer.org). # To Apply... To apply for benefits, or for information about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, contact your [**local SNAP office**](http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/outreach/map.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org). You can find local offices and each State's application on our[**national map**](http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/outreach/map.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org). Local offices are also listed in the State or local government pages of the telephone book. The office should be listed under "Food Stamps," "Social Services," "Human Services," "Public Assistance," or a similar title. You can also call your State's [SNAP ](http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/contact%5Finfo/hotlines.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org)[**hotline number**](http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/contact%5Finfo/hotlines.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org). Most are toll-free numbers. Please don't call us at FNS headquarters to apply. We don't handle applications for the SNAP here. The State and county offices do that. And we don't have application forms. Each State has its own [**application form**](http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/outreach/map.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org). If your State’s form is not on the web yet, you'll need to contact your [**local SNAP office**](http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/outreach/map.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org) to request one. On-line applications? The following States allow you to apply online. Here are their websites: | | [Arizona](https://www.healthearizona.org/app/Default.aspx?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [Maryland](https://www.marylandsail.org/Application/Default.aspx?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [South Carolina](https://dss.sc.gov/apps%5Fonline/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fapps%5Fonline%2fdefault.aspx&ref=foodconsumer.org) | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | **[California](https://www.c4yourself.com/c4yourself/index.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org)** (1) | | [Massachusetts](http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2modulechunk&&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Departments+and+Divisions&L3=Department+of+Transitional+Assistance&sid=Eeohhs2&b=terminalcontent&f=dta%5Fc%5Ffoodnut%5Ffoodstamps&csid=Eeohhs2&ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [Tennessee](https://fabenefits.dhs.tn.gov/vip/website/signupservlet?pagename=homepage&ref=foodconsumer.org) | | | [Colorado](https://peak.state.co.us/selfservice/?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [Michigan](https://www.mibridges.michigan.gov/access?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [Texas](https://www.yourtexasbenefits.com/ssp/SSPHome/ssphome.jsp?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | | [Delaware](https://assist.dhss.delaware.gov/PGM/ASP/SC001.asp?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [Montana](https://app.mt.gov/mtc/apply/index.html?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [Utah](https://utahhelps.utah.gov/erepprodpub/en/ISS%5FLandingOnlineAppPage.do?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | | **[Florida](http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/programs/access/?ref=foodconsumer.org)** | | [Nebraska](http://accessnebraska.ne.gov/?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [Vermont](http://www.mybenefits.vt.gov/?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | | [Georgia](https://compass.ga.gov/selfservice/?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | **[New Jersey](http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dfd/programs/foodstamps/apply/?ref=foodconsumer.org)** | | [Virginia](https://www.vafood.org/?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | | [Illinois](http://fspp.dhs.state.il.us/register/wb/wbHomePre.do?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [New York](https://www.mybenefits.ny.gov/selfservice/?ref=foodconsumer.org) (3) | | [Washington](https://www.washingtonconnection.org/home/?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | | [Indiana](http://www.in.gov/fssa/2954.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org) (2) | | [Ohio](https://odjfsbenefits.ohio.gov/SelfServiceSplash.jsf?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | **[West Virginia](https://www.wvinroads.org/inroads/PGM/ASP/SC001.asp?ref=foodconsumer.org)** | | | [Iowa](https://secureapp.dhs.state.ia.us/oasis/?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [Oregon](https://apps.state.or.us/onlineApplication/?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [Wisconsin](https://access.wisconsin.gov/access/?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | | **[Kansas](http://www.srskansas.org/onlineapp/?ref=foodconsumer.org)** | | **[Pennsylvania](https://www.humanservices.state.pa.us/COMPASS/PGM/ASP/SC001.asp?ref=foodconsumer.org)** | | | | | [Louisiana](https://webapps.dss.state.la.us/FAApplication/?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | [Rhode Island](https://www.foodstamps.ri.gov/admin/login.cfm?ref=foodconsumer.org) | | | (1) Currently, residents of Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Plumas, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Sutter, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne and Yuba counties may apply for benefits online. If you live in another California county, click on [local SNAP office](http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/outreach/states/california.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org). (2) Only residents that live in some Indiana counties may apply for benefits online. Qual-Check is an on-line screening tool to find out if you may be eligible, but is not an online application. If you click on your county and Qual-check comes up, you can find out how and where to apply at [http://www.in.gov/fssa/dfr/2999.htm](http://www.in.gov/fssa/dfr/2999.htm?ref=foodconsumer.org) (3) Only certain counties in New York have online applications or provide online application assistance. You can get a listing of these counties at: [http://www.otda.state.ny.us/](http://www.otda.state.ny.us/main/foodstamps/online.asp?ref=foodconsumer.org) [main/foodstamps/online.asp](http://www.otda.state.ny.us/main/foodstamps/online.asp?ref=foodconsumer.org). Other States are working on systems that will allow applicants to apply by computer, but none are ready yet. We’ll post them here as the States put them on line. *Last modified: 11/30/2011*