The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is an essential tool to help eligible families and individuals ensure access to healthy foods. In the state of Florida, one of the states with the largest beneficiary population in the United States, SNAP benefits are distributed through the Access Florida card, an EBT card that functions similarly to a debit or credit card.
The EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) card is an efficient and secure method to receive and use your SNAP benefits. The Access Florida card is the official card in this state and is accepted like any debit or credit card, in hundreds of grocery stores that receive SNAP benefits as a form of payment.
SNAP benefits payments in Florida: dates for this week
The state of Florida loads benefits onto the EBT cards of millions of recipients between the 1st and 28th of each month. The specific date of your deposit depends on the 9th and 8th digits of your case number, read backwards and omitting the 10th digit. For example, if your case number ends in 46, your benefits will be charged on the 14th of each month.
For next week, the pending payments are for beneficiaries with numbers from 28 to 60, and are distributed over the following dates:
- 28-31: December 9
- 32-34: December 10
- 35-38: December 11
- 39-41: December 12
- 42-45: December 13
- 46-48: December 14
- 49-53: December 15
- 54-57: December 16
- 58-60: December 17
This is the correct way to apply for SNAP benefits in Florida: step-by-step guide
The fastest process to apply for SNAP benefits is through the website MyACCESS Florida. However, you can also choose to:
- Call your local office or Florida SNAP hotline number: 1-866-762-2237.
- Complete a paper application and mail it.
- Visit a local food bank for help with your application.
The state agency has a period of 30 days to process your request. During that time, you must complete a telephone interview and submit any documents requested by your social worker. If your application is approved, you will receive a letter with the details of your benefits.
For people with very low income or no resources, there is an express processing option called accelerated benefits, which can be delivered within 7 days. Remember that even in these cases, you will need to provide documentation by the 30th to continue receiving assistance.
You must renew your eligibility from time to time
Generally, all beneficiaries must recertify from time to time that they continue to need financial allowances, and this period varies depending on the makeup of the household. For regular households, the term is 6 months, while for households with expedited processing it is 1 to 2 months.
Then, households with unemployed adults without dependents must recertify their benefits every 4 months, and households with elderly or disabled people, the period is 24 months with an interim report prepared by the local SNAP office after 12 months.
You will be notified when it is time to recertify, and you can do so through your MyAcess account, either in person by calling your social worker or the SNAP office where the entire process will take place. It is essential to complete both the renewal form and the telephone interview for your benefits to continue.