Program Overview

The Washington Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps individuals and families obtain a more nutritious diet with SNAP benefits. It assists children get balanced diets that can help them grow and perform better at school. The program helps adults in their daily chores and supports them to contribute better at job. In the same way SNAP also helps senior citizens get balanced diet for their well-being. The program is immensely beneficial to the families that are transitioning from welfare to work.

The Washington Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is funded by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA). In Washington, the program is run by the Washington State Department of Health. The benefit amount an eligible family receives depends on the income level, family size and the expenses. People from all ages can benefit from the SNAP program. The Washington Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has proved as the first line of help for the residents of Washington.

Program Objectives

The main objective of the Washington Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is to provide the underprivileged families living on a fixed budget with an opportunity to improve their food quality. It helps them add valuable nutrition to their diet by purchasing food that is healthy and nutritious. This leads them to live a healthy and self- sustaining lifestyle subsequently increasing the quality of life of the people in the state.

The eligible families for Washington SNAP are linked with government agencies, nutritionists, and local community-based organizations. These organizations make sure that the families are fully educated about the program so that they can approach the application process in a well-informed manner. This helps families to make adequate decisions to take full benefit from the largest hunger preventive program in the country.

Eligibility Requirements

Only eligible applicants can avail the benefits of the Washington Supplemental Nutrition Food Supplement Program (SNAP). Washington State residents can avail the SNAP benefits who meet:

• Federal program requirements
• Citizenship or alien status requirements

The basic eligibility requirements are:

• The gross monthly income of the households must be 130 percent or less of the Federal poverty guidelines.
• Net monthly income must be 100 percent or less of the Federal poverty guidelines.
• Unemployed, working on low wages or a part time workers are eligible
• The applicants age 18 to 50 and able to work, may be subject to a work requirement in order to receive SNAP.

The applicant is exempt from work requirements if participating in an approved work program, taking care of pregnant woman and children. Persons with disabilities are exempt from work requirements. Persons living in exempted locality are exempt from work requirement. The number of members in a household and total household income; are also very important factors while considering a candidate for the Washington Supplemental Food Assistance Program.

The total gross income of the household before taxes must be equal to or less than, 

An extra amount of $8960 is added per person if the total size of the household is more than 8 members. It’s important to stay in touch with a proper managing agency in your locality to receive accurate guidelines and future policies related to the program. Before filling the application form make sure you have all the required information to speed up the process.

Visit SNAP’s eligibility page to find out more about eligibility requirements and how benefits are computed. To see if you might be eligible for SNAP benefits, you may also use FNS’s SNAP Eligibility.

How to Apply

There are multiple ways to apply for the Washington Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• Online Application

You can apply for the Washington Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by visiting the Washington Connection website which you can then fill out and submit to get the program’s benefits.

• Apply through the local office

Another easy way of applying for the Washington Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is by applying through your local department of social services. The office will provide the possible assistance and the representatives there will make the whole process easy by providing the necessary information. You can get and fill the form and return it (in person or via mail) to your local office and you can locate it by visiting the Office Locator page. Once the application is submitted you cannot change it hence it is advisable to be careful while filling out the application form. 

• Apply via phone call

Eligible households in the state of Washington can contact the program office by calling at: 877-501-2233

For Further Information

In case of queries or any extra information required about the Washington Supplemental Assistance Program (SNAP), it is available on the official website. The website provides information regarding the program policies and guidelines to applicants to help them get a better understating of the program. You may also visit SNAP’s Application and Local Office Locators page to learn how to apply in your state.

You must carefully read the instructions and submit the form according to it, as giving false information can lead to penalties. You cannot receive cash from the retailer from your EBT card. You cannot buy non-food items such as alcohol, tobacco or paper products. If benefit holders violate the law then they may be barred from receiving the benefits and such violation is subject to fine. Visit Benefits by State for more insights.