Food Stamps Schedule: When Florida SNAP EBT Payments Are Sent in February

Florida SNAP benefits help low-income seniors, people with disabilities living on fixed incomes and other low-income households supplement their monthly food budget. The Florida Department of Children and Families Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency (ESS) is responsible for determining SNAP eligibility and distributing benefits. SNAP dollars are sent out according to a fixed monthly schedule and your February 2023 benefits can be accessed using your Florida EBT card.

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To be eligible for SNAP, your household must pass income and resources tests, as well as meet work requirements. In Florida, most households must pass a gross income limit less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level and not exceed the asset limit of $2,500 ($3,750 if the household contains an elderly or disabled person).

Florida residents can apply for SNAP online through Access Florida, the ESS self-service portal. If you prefer paper, you can download an application and mail, fax or return the completed form to your local SNAP service center. Florida also has the SUNCAP Program, which is a food assistance program for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients. Already receive SNAP benefits?You_may_be_ automatically enrolled in the SUNCAP Program when you become eligible for SSI.

Florida’s food benefits are deposited to SNAP accounts between the 1st and the 28th of every month, based on the 9th and 8th digits of your Florida case number (read backward) after dropping the 10th digit.

Here’s the February 2023 schedule for Florida’s SNAP benefits:

Florida EBT cards can be swiped at stores displaying the Quest logo, which includes most major grocery store chains and some retailers. Depending on your location, you can purchase groceries online using your EBT card and have them delivered to your home.

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Your benefits can be used to purchase:

• Fruits and vegetables

• Meat, poultry and fish

• Dairy products

• Breads and cereals

• Snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages

• Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat

SNAP dollars cannot be used to buy alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, vitamins, medicines, supplements, live animals, non-food items and hot, ready-to-eat foods.

You can get additional discounts using your Florida EBT card. Florida SNAP recipients can sign up for an Amazon Prime EBT discounted subscription for 50% off ($6.99 per month). EBT cards can also be used for free or discounted admission to hundreds of museums, aquariums and zoos nationwide via the Museums For All initiative.

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Another benefit to having a Florida EBT card is the ability to double your SNAP dollars at farmers’ markets, produce stands, CSAs, mobile markets and community grocery outlets. If you buy $1 worth of fresh food using your EBT card, you’ll receive $1 in Fresh Access Bucks. Here’s a map with the locations of outlets accepting and doubling SNAP.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Food Stamps Schedule: When Florida SNAP EBT Payments Are Sent in February