Updates
Guide to Use of Public Benefits and Public Charge
3/23/2009
- Attached please find a flier from Mass Law Reform Institute on the issue of "public charge" entitled "Will using benefits hurt by chances of getting a Green Card or becoming a US Citizen?" Translation of this document into multiple languages is available at the following website: www.nilc.org.
For more information or questions, please contact Toby Guevin at 617-350-5480 x216 or tguevin@miracoalition.org. Click above link to access document.
Information on Non-Citizen Food Stamps Eligibility and Access
3/23/2009
- Attached please find two non-citizen food stamps advocacy fliers:
1) A revised DTA form "What NonCitizens Need to Know". This too is available in Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole from DTA.
* A chart that explains how to determine food stamp/SNAP benefits for mixed households (ineligible immigrant, eligible citizen or legal immigrant).
This information will be covered in more detail in the upcoming Basic Benefits Training (April 2nd) that MIRA and Mass Law Reform Institute will be conducting at Mass. Continuing Legal Education. For more information on the attached documents or the April 2nd training, please contact Toby Guevin at tguevin@miracoalition.org or 617-350-5480 x216. Click above link to access documents.
April 1, 2009 Food Stamps/SNAP Benefit Increase
3/ 5/2009
- Effective April 1, 2009, Food Stamp/SNAP recipients will see an increase in their monthly benefit levels thanks to the recently passes stimulus bill (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009). Click above link for two attached fliers explaining the increase (one in English and one in Spanish) and for follow-up steps to thank our congressional leaders for passing the stimulus bill.
Change in Federal Poverty Level for 2009
1/26/2009
- On Friday, January 23rd, the federal poverty level (FPL) was increased by a 3.8 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) to reflect the consumer price index increase between 2007 and 2008. This 3.8% COLA affects the 200% FPL gross income test for "categorically eligible" food stamp/SNAP households (e.g. families with children, pregnant women. elders/disabled without meeting the asset test).
The new 200% gross income tests will be the following:
HH Gross Income
1 $1,805
2 $2,428
3 $3,051
4 $3,675
5 $4,298
6 $4,921
DTA has not yet updated its website with these figures, but we expect that will happen any day now. Note, this COLA does not affect the 130% gross income test or the net income test, which are adjusted in October of each year.
Click on above link to access a PDF describing new FPL regulations.
Client filers on the child care deduction in THREE languages - English, Spanish and Portuguese
1/26/2009
- Click on the above link to access a PDF with fliers explaining the child care deduction for food stamps in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Sample Excel Form for Calculating Medical Expenses for Seniors on Food Stamps (SNAP)
12/10/2008
- Attached is a sample excel spreadsheet that may be useful to providers in calculating medical expenses for seniors on Food Stamps (SNAP) as developed by a member of the Food Stamps (SNAP) Improvement Coalition.
DTA Client Fact Sheet Details Eligibility Changes for Adults Without Children
8/25/2008
- The fact sheet emphasizes that food stamp program benefits should not be cut off at the end of three months, and that the work and community service rules are very limited based on changes in DTA policy that took effect in June.
