Help Applying for Food Stamps

Hello Y.,

I applied twice for foodstamps in the past, so I will try and answer your questions as best as I can.

You will never reach anybody on the phone at the DHSC. Although their job is supposed to help people in need, don't expect that from them, they are are just barely human people typing like robots on their keyboards.

You will have to go there in person, with your application filled out as best as you can. You should provide copies of all the documents requested together with your application. If you don't have paystubs, bring along all your bank statements from the past year and your income tax return.

They will take your application, and they will write you a letter stating when your appointment will be.(About a week later or so if I recall correctly). You won't be able to change the date or time. Make sure to arrive early for your appointment because you won't be the only one with the same date and time! ( the first time I applied I waited for 5 hours!!!! So be prepared...)

Bring all the original documents of everything you can think of at your appointment. Better bring too many documents than not enough.

In case your need of foodstamps is really urgent, you can go there with your application and all the documents needed and they should be able to help you the same day.

Anyway, they will give you a card that you can use in certain grocery stores for food items only. The money will be transeferred every month at the same date (make sure you ask the date of the transfer to the officer you will meet).

That's all I can think of for now. I hope this helps. Good luck!
F.

My name is H., working mom of a 2 1/2 year old. I am in Denton also, and I know the process. I would advise you to ask for a phone interview if transportation is a problem for you. I did my interview over the phone then they mailed me a packet of the info they needed. SS cards and so on. I copied them, and mailed them back. IF you are going to the Denton office, be prepared to be there for a couple of hours. Hope this helps. If ouy need me, I'm at ____@____.com

Good luck!!

I have never been on food stamps before but if I where I would go ahead and take all your information. Pay stub W2 form, if you pay rent something saying how much your rent is, ssn information, even probably like electric and phone bills anything you can think of that you have to pay for or personal information. If you have been divorced take those papers aswell. Birth certificates, pretty much everything about your life. Good luck!!!

I was a pregnant SAHM w/no income when i applied and now i just reapplied and i am SAHM w/a 14 month old and going to school and living w/my parents so I called them and they mailed me a application and i filled it out and mailed it back to them and i am requesting a phone interview cause i can not be there all day cause of school and my son get sick pretty easy.
When i was pregnant i did a phone interview cause i was on bedrest it took after me mailing the applic a couple of weeks and i received a letter w/the date and time of interview but i had to wait several hours before they actually called and interviewed about an hour then i mailed all the documents and had to go there to get fingerprinted and got the lonestar food card and you can check your bal by calling the card number.
Good Luck and you have any questions email me at ____@____.com
It's really weird how the system works cause a year ago when I applied I was receiving 399.00 a month and now when I reapplied and my older son lives with his dad and I added my youngest and getting less child support and going to school and have a car payment I only get 278.00 and when I called she told me that she made an error and the amount was set w/no income and that she would have to recalculate with the child supprt, which means less food stamps. I don't know how i am going to survive.

Y.,
You will not need supporting documents until your actual interview. If you call the Denton oiice, let the phone continue ringing (maybe on speaker) for 5 or more minutes and they eventually answer. They wait forever counting on you to hang up, but wait it out. Also, you can have your employer fill out a wage verification saying how much you get paid if you don't have check stubs. But, by the time you get an interview, you will probably have a pay stub.
Good Luck
Emily