Need Food Stamps Right Away?

Questions and answers about getting Food Stamps...fast!

 
What do you mean by “fast”?

If you have very little money, you may be able to get your first Food Stamps within 7 days after you apply. This is called an expedited [“fast”] issuance. If your stamps aren’t expedited, it may take up to 30 days for you to receive them.

Will I qualify for “expedited” Food Stamps?

Does one of the following describe you? If yes, you should get your first Food Stamps within 7 days after you apply:

  • I have very little money

  • I don’t have enough money to pay my housing and utility bills –

  • I am a migrant or seasonal farmworker who is between jobs

How do I get expedited Food Stamps?

Being Eligable for Food Stamps Means:

  • My monthly gross income [the total before all withholding] is $150 or less and my cash or savings are less than $100. OR

  • My monthly gross income plus all my cash and savings are less than my monthly housing and utility bills -- OR

  • My income stopped before I applied for Food Stamps or I won’t receive more than $25 from a new job in the 10 days since I applied,

AND:

  • I have less than $100 cash or savings.

If your application shows you will not qualify for Food Stamps, you will be denied, even if your income is low.

If your application alone shows you are eligible for expedited Food Stamps, DHS must give you Food Stamps within 7 days even if you don’t have all the papers and proof of income that DHS wants. You will have to provide DHS with all this information in order to receive Food Stamps after your first issuance.

If you apply at a DHS office, the workers there must help you fill out the application and verify information - if you request it.

If you cannot go to the DHS office:

  • You can apply by mail. If you cannot get to the DHS office for an interview, inform the workers there. Someone must interview you at your home or by telephone.

  • You can appoint someone else to apply for you. Call your DHS office to find out how to appoint a representative.

What if I don’t get my Food Stamps in 7 days?

If you think you qualify for expedited Food Stamps and it has been more than 7 days since you applied,

  • Call your DHS caseworker or the caseworker’s supervisor.

  • Seek legal advice (see information on finding a lawyer at the end of this article)

What if I am denied Food Stamps?

If you are denied expedited issuance or are denied Food Stamps, you should receive a notice from DHS. If you think the denial is wrong, you may want to do the following:

  1. Request a hearing if you think the denial was wrong.

  2. Seek legal advice (see information on finding a lawyer at the end of this article)

  3. Reapply if your circumstances have changed since you were denied.

How do I find my local DHS office?

Look under the State of Michigan listing in your telephone book, consult the DHS Website, or ask other helping agencies in your community (United Way, community Action agency, food pantries or soup kitchens, health department, senior center, etc.).

For more information on foodstamps you can view other articles on this site: Families: Think You Get Food Stamps? Take A Fresh Look?, and Were You Denied or Cut Off of Food Stamps? Are You Losing Your Food Stamps Before You Have To?.

If you are a grandparent interested in getting foodstamps for children under your care, consult Grandparents Caring for Minor Children: Common Legal Issues.

For further useful information including a Food Stamp Calculator please consult the Michigan Food Stamp Partnership website.”

To locate free or low cost legal assistance:

  • Visit the Michiganlegalaid.org home page and search for local assistance by entering your zip code in the box marked “Find a lawyer, organization or related service to help you with your problem.” or

  • Look under "attorneys" in the yellow pages to find your local legal aid office, or

  • Contact the Michigan State Bar Lawyer Referral Service at (800) 968- 0738. 

  • Persons age 60 or older, regardless of their income, may be able to receive free advice from the Legal Hotline for Michigan Seniors by calling (800) 347-5297.