Access to Food Stamps

Massachusetts has the lowest food stamp participation rate in the country, and more than 50% of those eligible for food stamps are not receiving them. This troubling news comes as we report that the demand for emergency food continues to rise in our state. (See Project Bread’s 2008 Status Report on Hunger in Massachusetts for more information.)

People all over the country have been able to get food stamps since 1971 when it became a nationwide entitlement program. Different states have different rules, but as long as you meet the rules in your state, you should be able to get and use food stamps.

So why are so many Massachusetts families going without the food stamps they’re entitled to?

Many people aren’t getting the food stamps they need and deserve because they don’t know that they are eligible, or don’t know how to apply. Because of this, Project Bread has built a website, gettingfoodstamps.org, to help people in Massachusetts learn about food stamps and their eligibility.

Helping people get food stamps

Project Bread has partnered with the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) to create an online application for food stamps. The easy-to-use resource is available through more than 50 neighborhood centers in Massachusetts because of grants awarded by Project Bread. This online tool and in-person application process gives eligible applicants a convenient, supportive, and secure way to access benefits online.