Massachusetts offers food stamps benefits in the form of EBT cards.
Food stamp programs began when President Lyndon Johnson enacted the Food Stamp Act in 1964. Now, food stamp programs have been renamed, and the U.S. government has put a greater emphasis on nutrition and healthful eating. This change in ideology can be seen in Massachusetts, where supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits can be used to buy fresh food from grocery stores, as well as some farmers' markets. Add this to my Recipe Box.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
SNAP, or supplemental nutrition assistance program, is the name given to food stamps in Massachusetts in October 2008. The name was changed to emphasize that the program cares about the nutrition and healthy eating habits of those enrolled, according to the Massachusetts Resources website. SNAP is designed to help low-income households pay for food, and the amount of assistance each household receives depends on size of household, income and monthly expenses. The program is managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which allots money to each state to give to residents in the form of food stamps.
Eligibility
A household is considered an individual or a group of people who often prepare meals together. These individuals do not have to be directly related to one another. Individuals, or each household, get one EBT card (a debit card where money for food is placed by the government each month). To receive SNAP benefits you must live in Massachusetts, meet financial eligibility requirements and must be a U.S. citizen with a Social Security number.
Using SNAP Benefits
EBT cards can be used like debit cards to buy food at grocery stores and farmers markets.
If you are approved for SNAP food stamps you will be sent an EBT (electronic benefits card) that can be used like a debit card in participating food store check outs. The Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) will deposit a certain amount in the account for your card each month, and after each food purchase your receipt will show the amount still available on your card. You can also search online for SNAP retail locators on the US Department of Agriculture website. If you are traveling, you can use your SNAP card outside of Massachusetts. You may purchase food to prepare at home, hot food, ethnic and health foods, snack foods and even seeds to grow your own food. You cannot buy alcohol, household goods, cigarettes or medicines.
Farmers Markets
Food stamps are traditionally used in grocery stores, but Massachusetts residents can now use them at farmers markets as well. A July 2009 article in The New York Times describes Massachusetts residents, like 53 year-old Natasha Smilansky, who use food stamps to buy ripe tomatoes and fresh cucumbers. Smilansky is on disability, and told the Times' reporter that she likes the fresh vegetables available at the market. Though the electronic benefits terminals used to process EBT cards can be expensive, some markets have installed them for debit and EBT cards alike, and charge the cards in exchange for tokens that can be used to pay farmers. The Western Massachusetts website, www.farmfresh.org, lists Massachusetts farmers' markets throughout the state, as well as which markets accept EBT cards.
Fraud Prevention
The Massachusetts Resources website lists the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI), part of the State Auditors' Office, as the agency in charge of fraud prevention for SNAP food stamps benefits in the state. The BSI has a 24-hour confidential Fraud Hotline at 1-800-FRAUD-99 which can be used to report fraud in public assistance programs, including SNAP. People who commit food stamp fraud can be barred from participating in food stamps programs for a period of time.
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