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Food & Nutrition


Emergency Food Assistance Food Stamp Information


Food Stamp ProgramFOOD STAMP PROGRAM
Suncap ProgramSUNCAP PROGRAM
Florida Food Resource DirectoryFLORIDA FOOD RESOURCE DIRECTORY
Florida WICFLORIDA WIC
National School Lunch ProgramNATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
National School Breakfast ProgramNATIONAL SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM
Summer Nutrition ProgramsSUMMER NUTRITION PROGRAMS
Share FloridaSHARE FLORIDA
Angel Food MinistriesANGEL FOOD MINISTRIES


Websites and related documents will open in a new window for your convenience.



Food Stamp Program

Click here to apply for Food Stamps online

The Food Stamp Program helps low-income households buy nutritious food. A food stamp household is normally a group of people who live together and buy food and prepare meals together. If your household passes the Food Stamp Program's eligibility rules, the amount of food stamp benefits you get will depend on the number of people in your household and how much monthly income is left after certain expenses are deducted. An individual must live in the state of Florida. An applicant must be a U.S. citizen or have a qualified noncitizen status. Households may have up to $2000 in assets (excluding the home you live in or cars worth less than $8500). Household with at least one person who is age 60 or older or disabled may have up to $3000 in assets.

The current income limits for October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010 eligibility are listed below.


Household size*
*Those who buy, share, and prepare meals together
Gross monthly income*
(130 percent of poverty)

*Before taxes and deductions
Net monthly income*
(100 percent of poverty)

*After taxes and deductions
Maximum Monthly Allotment*
*The most Food Stamps a household can receive
1$1,174$903$200
2$1,579$1,215$367
3$1,984$1,526$526
4$2,389$1,838$668
5$2,794$2,150$793
6$3,200$2,461$952
7$3,605$2,773$1,052
8$4,010$3,085$1,202
Each Additional
Member Add
+$406+$312+$150

For more details on this program, consult the Food Stamp Program Fact Sheet at: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/fsfactsheet.pdf
(PDF file. Requires Adobe Reader which may be downloaded free from the Adobe website).

To submit an on-line application, go to:
http://www.myflorida.com/accessflorida/.

Find a Community Agency to Help You Apply:
Community agencies are working with the Department of Children and Families to provide help with applying for food stamps. A list of these community sites can be found at:
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/docs/partner_listing.pdf
(PDF file. Requires Adobe Reader which may downloaded free from the Adobe website).

Find a Customer Service Center
To locate a Department of Children and Families' Customer Service Center, go to: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/#svcctrs




SUNCAP Program

The SUNCAP Program is a special Food Stamp Program for individuals who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). You may be eligible to receive food stamps through the SUNCAP Program without any additional application, paperwork or interviews. Individuals in SUNCAP can use a simplified application to apply for benefits, and their interview for SSI serves the dual purpose of determining their SUNCAP eligibility. They are only required to re-certify every three years, instead of annually. If you already receive foods stamps, you may be converted automatically to the SUNCAP Program when you become SSI eligible. If your food stamp benefits will decrease as a result of SUNCAP, you may choose to continue receiving your food stamps under the regular Food Stamp Program.

For more information, go to:
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/suncap/english.pdf
(PDF file. Requires Adobe Reader which may be downloaded free from the Adobe website).




Florida Food Resource Directory

Florida Impact maintains a searchable database of local emergency food providers in each of the state's 67 counties. Entries include type of service, eligibility requirements, hours of operation, and contact information.

Click to visit the Florida Food Resource Directory now.




Florida WIC

WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. The program provides a combination of supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals for health care to eligible participants.

Who WIC is for?

  • Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding or who have recently become pregnant. Pregnant women should visit a health care provider and apply for WIC as soon as they find out they are pregnant.
  • Infants under one year of age.
  • Children under 5 years of age

What food does WIC provide?
WIC provides food rich in certain key nutrients. Women and children enrolled in the WIC program receive food checks for a variety of foods such as milk, cheese, eggs, cereals, peanut butter or dry beans, and 100% fruit and vegetable juices. Women who are exclusively breastfeeding their babies receive additional cheese, juice, and dry beans, as well as carrots and canned tuna fish. Infants who are not breastfed receive the WIC contract brand of infant formula for the first year of life. Beginning at 6 months of age, infants may also receive infant cereal and fruit juice. Special formulas or nutritional supplements are also available to participants with certain medical conditions.

WIC also provides Nutrition Education and Breastfeeding support and education.

For more information on eligibility and how to apply, go to:
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/family/wic/pages/program_info/eligibility.htm

To find your local WIC office, go to:
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/family/wic/pages/program_info/contact.htm




National School Lunch Program

Any child at a participating school may purchase a meal through the National School Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 30 cents. (For the 2008-09 school year, 130 percent of the poverty level is $22,880 for a family of three; 185 percent is $32,560.) Children from families with incomes over 185 percent of poverty pay a full price, though their meals are still subsidized to some extent. Local school food authorities set their own prices for full-price (paid) meals, and applications for free or reduced-price meals are provided by the local school.

To find contact information for your local school district, please refer to the Department of Education's Public School District Listings:
http://www.fldoe.org/Schools/schoolmap/flash/schoolmap_text.asp.




National School Breakfast Program

Any child at a participating school may purchase a meal through the School Breakfast Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the Federal poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals. (For the 2008-09 school year, 130 percent of the poverty level is $22,880 for a family of three; 185 percent is $32,560.) Children from families over 185 percent of poverty pay full price, though their meals are still subsidized to some extent. Free or reduced-price meal eligibility is determined through the National School Lunch Program application provided by the local school.




Summer Nutrition Programs

There are approximately 3,000 Summer Nutrition Program (SNP) sites around the state that provide free meals and snacks to low-income children through age 18 when school is out for summer vacation. (People over age 18 who are enrolled in school programs for persons with disabilities may also participate in the SNP.) Local governments, school districts, and non-profits sponsor SNP sites, which include schools, parks, playgrounds, recreation centers, housing projects, migrant centers, Indian reservations, YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, houses of worship, summer camps and other sites. Most SNP sites are open to all children who go to the site during meal service times. No application is required.

To find the SNP sites nearest you, go to WWW.SUMMERFOODFLORIDA.ORG or call the Florida Department of Education toll-free at 1-800-622-5985.




SHARE Florida - Discounted Groceries on a Monthly Basis

SHARE Florida Food Network is dedicated to providing savings on high quality food, while encouraging personal involvement in the community.

Who qualifies for SHARE?
Everyone and anyone is welcome to participate in SHARE. There are no income requirements, just a desire to make a positive difference in the world. We encourage our members to donate their time to a worthy cause within the community.

What kind of food is in the grocery packages?
The Basic Package has a retail value of $36 or more, you pay only $18! The monthly Basic Package contains five frozen meat selections, plus a variety of seven fresh fruits and vegetables. The minimum purchase is $6, but you may purchase as much food as you wish. To see a sample menu, visit www.shareflorida.org/menu.htm.

Discounted grocery packages are distributed once a month at a local place of worship, community or senior center, or other local non-profit organization.

To find your nearest Host Site, visit WWW.SHAREFLORIDA.ORG or call 1-800-536-3379.

To become a Host Site, visit www.shareflorida.org/become_host_site.htm.




Angel Food Ministries

Angel Food Ministries distributes discounted grocery packages once a month. AFM is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing food relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States.
*ANGEL FOOD ACCEPTS SNAP (FOOD STAMPS)!*

Who qualifies for Angel Food?
Everyone is encouraged to participate. There are no qualifications or income restrictions. Simply make your order online or at a nearby church host site. CLICK HERE TO FIND A HOST SITE NEAR YOU or call 1-877-FOOD-MINISTRY. (Make online orders via your host site.)

What kind of food is in the grocery packages?
Each month's menu consists of both fresh and frozen items from the nation’s top food suppliers. Generally, one unit of food assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month. The cost for a box of Angel Food is $30 (retail value of approximately $60). There is no limit on the number of food packages you can purchase from Angel Food.

Also offered are specialty boxes, allergen-free options, and senior/convenience ready-made meals. CLICK HERE TO VIEW A SAMPLE MENU

How to make an order
Orders are collected by the host sites during the first part of each month. CLICK HERE TO FIND A HOST SITE NEAR YOU
Interested in becoming a host site? Find more information here.



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