Washington state residents will stop collecting payments from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for February in four days.
Food stamps are issued in the Evergreen State between Feb. 1 and Feb. 20. The state refers to SNAP as the Basic Food Program, and payments are typically sent out depending on the date that households applied for benefits. The dates will be listed on the approval letter sent to a household once it qualifies for SNAP.
To be eligible for SNAP, Washington residents must meet certain income requirements. A household’s gross monthly income generally must be at or below 130% of the federal poverty level. A household of one has an income limit of $1,945 per month, a household of three has a limit of $3,299 per month, and the limit for a household of five is capped at $4,652 per month.
A household of one can receive a maximum of $291, a household of five can receive a maximum of $1,155, and a household of eight can receive a maximum of $1,751. A household can receive a maximum of $219 for each additional person after eight. These amounts are based on the recent cost-of-living adjustments for 2023-24.
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Households receive SNAP benefits via an electronic benefits transfer card, which can be used at participating grocery and convenience stores. Washington food stamp recipients can use their EBT cards to purchase meat, poultry, fish products, dairy items, bread and cereals, and other eligible groceries.
In Washington state, around 18% of the population, or 310,900 people, receives food stamps, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
