Virginia-SNAP-Food Stamps is a Virginia State initiated program whose primary goal is to enable low income families access to a balanced meal. Nutritious and healthy meals are essential for the growth and development of every individual; this is one of the major reasons that the State of Virginia has initiated the SNAP food stamp program.

SNAP is used in a similar manner as cash to buy food items that are considered eligible from a variety of retail stores. One can identify these retailers either by the Quest logo they will have displayed or by the picture of a Virginia EBT card.

How It Works

With the Virginia SNAP-food stamps program, an eligible candidate is issued food stamps by use of an EBT card which can be used and accessed at authorized retail stores. This means that the person using the EBT card can swipe it, enter a personal identification number (pin), and have the amount of his or her current purchases deducted from the preset amount of benefits that are usually deposited into the EBT account.

After using the EBT card, the customer gets a receipt that states the cost of the purchased goods, and the balance that is currently in his/her account. An individual that qualifies for the SNAP food program can use their EBT card to:

• Buy seeds and plants in order to grow their own food
• Buy pet food
• Buy soap
• Buy hot foods for immediate consumption
• Buy paper products and other non-food items

Note: any individual using Food Stamps to purchase products will not be charged sales tax on food items/meals.

Eligibility Requirements

Some of the basic eligibility requirements for the Virginia-SNAP- Food Stamps include:

• You must be a US citizen
• You must be a resident of the State of Virginia

The other eligibility requirements include:

• Must have a current bank balance of less than $2,001
• For individuals living with a person over the age of 60, or a person with a disability, one must have a current bank balance of less than $3,001
• Individuals that can work and are between the ages of 18 to 50 may be subject to a work requirement in order to receive SNAP
• One must have an annual household income of less than $14,079 (for one individual), and an additional $4,862 for every extra individual living in the house

Food Stamps Application Instructions

Apply Online

Interested individuals can apply for the Virginia-SNAP-food program by visiting the following link:
www.dss.virginia.gov/files/032-03-0824-28-eng.pdf

By following this link, you will be able to obtain step by step guidance on the Virginia SNAP Food stamps application process. The site breaks down the application process into five sections where you can stop between the sections and save the information you have entered before proceeding to the next section.

Application via Phone

Individuals interested in the Virginia-SNAP-food stamps program have the option of applying via phone by calling this toll free number: 1-800-552-3431. By dialing this number, you will be able to communicate with a qualified member of staff that will answer any queries you may have regarding the Virginia SNAP food stamps application process. These members of staff can also have the application forms sent to you either via email or via traditional mail.

Personal Applications

For those individuals interested in making personal applications, one can click on the link below and identify the Virginia Department of Social Services office closest to them.

www.dss.state.va.us/localagency/index.html

After identifying the appropriate office, you can personally go to the office, obtain the relevant application forms and ask any questions you may have regarding the application process.