The steps involved in getting food stamps are: Review the "Common Questions."Decide if you qualify for food stamps or expedited food stamps.Fill out the necessary forms to apply for food stamps. Mail, fax or hand-deliver your application to the Department of Human Services.Click on words that appear like 'this' to learn what these words mean.]]> Select from the list below:]]> What is the food stamp program? The food stamp program gives low-income people "money" that they can use to buy food. In Illinois, the food stamp program is run by the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS). ]]>I have heard about the Illinois LINK card and the food stamp program, but what is the LINK card?Food Stamps are given to the food stamp unit (also called a household) in an electronic format on an Illinois LINK card. When your household is approved for food stamps, you will receive a LINK card (which looks like a credit card). Then you will select a personal identification number (PIN). The PIN is required when a person uses the card. On a certain day each month, your unit's food stamps are electronically placed on the card, and household members can then use the card at a grocery store just like a credit card to buy food. If your household receives cash benefits as well as food stamps, your cash benefits will also be placed on the LINK card. You should never write your PIN number on your card, or on the sleeve that is given to you to keep your card from getting damaged. This is because if your card is lost or stolen, your benefits cannot be used unless the thief also knows your PIN number. If it is written on the card, your stamps (and your cash if you receive it) can easily be stolen. ]]>What can I buy with food stamps? Food stamps may be used to buy most food that you find at a grocery store or farmer's market. You can also use food stamps to pay for meals provided by the Meals-on-Wheels program. You cannot use food stamps to buy prepared foods from a grocery store, or alcohol, tobacco, soap, paper products, pet food or other nonfood items. To learn more about where you can use food stamps to pay for food and what you can buy with food stamps, see the information under "Related Articles."]]>Who can get food stamps?Almost everyone who meets the income, asset and work requirements can get food stamps, but there are some exceptions. Examples of people who cannot get food stamps are: People who have been disqualified for a certain period of time from the food stamp program because of an intentional program violation; People who are living in a hospital, jail or other institution where meals are provided; People who are on strike; People convicted of a drug felony for conduct that happened on or after August 22, 1996; or Undocumented immigrants. If you are a legal immigrant you may qualify for benefits. To learn more about an immigrant's eligibility for food stamps, see the information under "Related Articles."]]>Is there a way to see if I might be eligible for the food stamps program before I apply? To see if you might be eligible for the food stamps program and to get an idea of the amount of food stamps you might receive, go to the Illinois Department of Human Services' food stamp calculator. ]]>How can I apply for food stamps? You can pick up an application at your local DHS office, or you can fill out the required forms that are listed in the "Forms/Letters" section. If you get an application at your local DHS office, you do not have to complete the application at the office; you can take it home to complete it. Once you complete and sign the application, you must mail, fax or hand-deliver it back to the office. You will then be interviewed by DHS, most likely in person, but possibly by telephone if you are homebound. At that time, or soon after, you will need to provide DHS with verification of your household's income, assets and expenses by giving them copies of pay check stubs, utility bills, rent receipts, etc. To find a DHS near you, click on the link below.DHS Office Locator ]]>What is a "food stamp unit"? A food stamp unit can be:A person of any age who lives alone; A person who lives with others, but usually buys and prepares his/her food separately; A group of people who live together and who usually buy and prepare food together. A good example of this is a traditional family. However, a person who meets the elderly disabled status and their spouse may be considered two separate units even though their food is bought and prepared in common with the other people they live with. Check with your local DHS office to see if this could apply to you. Use the DHS Office Locator to find an office near you.]]>When will I know if I get food stamps?DHS must process your application within 30 days, unless you have applied for "expedited" food stamps (this is a way to get food stamps faster; for more information go to "Related Articles"). You should get a written decision telling you if you have or have not been approved to receive food stamps. If you have been approved, you will be told the amount of stamps you will be receiving.]]>What can I do if I am denied food stamps or do not think I am getting the correct amount? You may file an appeal of any DHS decision regarding your food stamps. You must file the appeal within 90 days of the date of the notice of the decision that you want to appeal. For more information about your appeal rights and how to file an appeal, see the information under "Related Articles."]]>How much money can I make and still get food stamps? The amount of income you can earn depends on the size of your food stamp household. DHS uses your gross income to determine if you are eligible for food stamps. Gross income is the amount of money you make from all sources before taxes, etc., are taken out of your pay. For example, if you work 20 hours per week earning $8.00 per hour and you are the only person in your household working - the gross income of your household would be $160.00 per week. The chart below shows the highest gross income a household can have in a month (as of October 1, 2008) and still receive food stamps.Number of People in Household Maximum Gross Monthly Income 1 $1,127 2 $1,517 3 $1,907 4 $2,297 5 $2,687 6 $3,077 7 $3,467 8 $3,857 9 $4,247 10 $4,637 Each additional member + $390]]>What is the asset limit for the food stamp program?Assets are the "things" that you have. For example, some common "non-liquid assets" are cars, property and real estate. "Liquid assets" are the money that you have in cash, or a checking or savings account. The asset limit for food stamp units with at least one member who is 60 or older is $3000. For all other units, the asset limit is $2,000. However, some assets do not count at all toward this asset limit. These are "exempt" assets. Common examples of exempt assets are the homestead property that you live in, personal items such as clothing, household furnishings and one car. ]]>Who do I have to include in my food stamp household? You must include: Your spouse; Any person under age 18 and under the parental control of an adult unit member who is not the minor's parent, even if the adult and minor eat separately; A parent and their child who is under age 22. It is possible to live in the same house and be considered a separate food stamp unit from your child, but only if the living quarters are totally separate with no shared living space. For example, if the minor is living in a completely separate apartment in the basement of his parents, that has its own kitchen, bathroom, etc. ]]>If I am approved for food stamps how much will I get? The amount of food stamps that you will get depends upon the number of people in your household, your income and your expenses. You can get a general idea of what your food stamp level might be by completing the food stamp calculator. Please note this is not an application, but simply a tool for you to use to determine if you are possibly eligible for food stamps and how much you might receive.The chart below shows the maximum dollar amount of food stamps your household can receive each month as of April 1, 2009: Number of People in Household Maximum Monthly Food Stamp Amount 1 person $200 2 people $367 3 people $526 4 people $668 5 people $793 6 people $952 7 people $1,052 8 people $1,202 9 people $1,352 10 people $1,502Add $150 for each additional member. ]]>How can I get more food stamps for my household?Food Stamp cases usually include all of the people who live together and who buy and prepare their food together. But, sometimes you can increase the amount of food stamps available to your household by making some simple changes such as: If you live with others and they buy and prepare their food separately, they can usually be considered a separate food stamp case. This will always result in the total amount of food stamps being greater than if everyone is combined into one case. For example: If you live with your spouse, your food stamp case must include both of you;If you live with your parent and you are under age 22, your parent must be included in your food stamp case;If you are under 18 years old and live with an adult, this adult must be included in your food stamp case unless you are living with your spouse and/or children.You can also be considered a separate food stamp case if you or your spouse are age 60 or older and cannot buy and prepare food due to a serious disability, and the other people with whom you live have income which is below certain limits set by the Illinois Department of Human Services.Foster children can have separate food stamp cases.You may qualify for more food stamps if you pay someone to care for your children while you work or attend an employment training program.If you are disabled or elderly, you may qualify for more food stamps if you pay for medicines, have other medical expenses or are having your Social Security benefits reduced to pay for Medicare.]]>Can I get food stamps if I'm not working? The best answer is maybe. A person aged 18 through 49 must meet the work requirement unless for some reason they are exempt, or they live in a county that is exempt from the work requirement. To be exempt means that this rule does not apply to you or your county. You may be exempt from the work requirement if:You are in a household with children under age 18; You are physically and mentally unable to work; You are pregnant; You are a student enrolled at least half time. A county is exempt based upon its unemployment rate, but you need to check with your local DHS office to see if your county is exempt or not. ]]>If I have to meet the work requirement, what does that mean? To meet the work requirement, a person must: Work 80 hours per month or earn wages of at least $6.55 (the Federal minimum wage) times 80 hours; or Participate and comply with Earnfare, Job Search or a Food Stamps Work and Training Program; or Perform community work for the number of hours required. During a 3-year period of time, a person who must meet the work requirement is limited to 3 months of benefits if the work requirement is not met. The 3-year time period is fixed for the entire state and currently begins 1/1/06 and ends 12/31/08. ]]>Once I start getting food stamps, what sort of things do I need to report to DHS? Different food stamp cases are treated differently. Some households are in "quarterly reporting" status, which means they have to fill out a report form and turn it into DHS 4 times a year. The forms are received in February, May, August and November and are due by the 7th of the following month in order to keep getting food stamp benefits. If you are in quarterly reporting you do not need to report changes to DHS other than on the reporting form. However, if you are not in quarterly reporting, you need to report to DHS of any change that could affect your food stamp eligibility or the amount of food stamps that you receive within 10 days of the date of the change. For example, you must report: If a person in the household gets, changes or loses a job; or When the source of unearned income (such as worker's compensation payments) changes, or the amount increases by $25 or more a month; or If a person moves into or out of the home. ]]>What happens if I do not report a change?If you are in quarterly reporting and you do not turn in your report form on time, your food stamps can be stopped. If you are not in quarterly reporting and you do not report a change that would have reduced or terminated your food stamps, you could be charged with an overpayment, and possibly, even worse, with an intentional program violation. To find out more about overpayments and intentional program violations, see the information under "Related Articles." ]]>What should I do if I am broke and I need food stamps now in order to eat?You should apply for "expedited" food stamps. If you are eligible for food stamps under this program, the stamps must be available to you no later than the 5th calendar day after you apply for the benefits. A person can get expedited food stamps in one of three ways:The unit's gross income and assets are less than their monthly rent or mortgage payment and utility bills; or The unit has cash (including all money in the bank) of $100 or less and gross monthly income for the month of application is less than $150; or The unit has cash (including all money in the bank) of $100 or less and at least one person applying is a migrant who is not expecting income of more than $25 in the 10-day period following the date of application. For more information about expedited food stamps please see the information under "Related Articles."]]> You may use these forms and instructions to help you solve your problem.]]>5006index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_content&contentID=5006Application for Food Stamps, Cash or Medical Assistance6723index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_content&contentID=6723Apply Online for Public Benefits: Cash, Food Stamps, MedicalApply online for public benefits like food stamps, cash assistance, and a medical card. You can complete the form online or print it off. Following are step-by-step instructions to help you with your legal problem. You should print these steps and take them with you to use as a checklist.]]>Fill Out a Food Stamps ApplicationFill out the application in the "Forms/Letters" section or pick one up at your local DHS office. The form is available in English and in Spanish;To locate a DHS office near you, use the Department of Human Services Office Locator in the "Related Articles" section.]]>Submit Your Application to the Department of Human ServicesAfter completing and signing the application, you must mail, fax or hand-deliver it back to the DHS Office;To locate a DHS office near you, use the Department of Human Services Office Locator in the "Related Articles" section.]]>Go to Your DHS InterviewOnce you submit your application, you will be interviewed by the DHS;You will need to give DHS proof of your household's income, assets and expenses. This may include pay stubs, utility bills, rent receipts, etc.]]>Wait 30 Days to Get a Decision from DHSOnce your application is processed, you will get a written decision telling you if you have been approved for food stamps and if so, what amount you will receive.]]>Get Your LINK CardOnce you are approved for food stamps, your household will get a LINK card which has the food stamps on it;Every month food stamps will be electronically placed on the card.]]>Report to DHSYou may need to report certain things to DHS after you start getting your food stamps.If your household is in quarterly reporting status, you will have to fill out a report form and submit it to the DHS 4 times a year;If your household is not in quarterly reporting status, you will need to report any change that could impact your food stamp eligibility or the amount of food stamps you receive, within 10 days of the change.]]>Listed below are other articles that you may find helpful.Note: You may leave this page when you click on a link below.]]>1726index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_content&contentID=1726How Can I Use My Food Stamps?1724index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_content&contentID=1724How Do I Appeal a Food Stamp Decision?2060index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_content&contentID=2060What Happens if I Have a Food Stamp Overpayment?5120index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_content&contentID=5120How Do I Get Food Stamps Faster?2687index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_content&contentID=2687Immigrant Eligibility for Food Stamps2659index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_content&contentID=2659Estampillas de Comida