BENEFITS ASSISTANCE

The New Braunfels Food Bank assists clients with application and renewal assistance for various federal benefits.

SIGN UP FOR BENEFITS ASSISTANCE

If you are in need of assistance with your benefits applications for SNAP or wanting to refer a client to the New Braunfels Food Bank for assistance,
please complete our Benefits Assistance Form.

ABOUT SNAP

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families and provides economic benefits to communities.

Households who receive SNAP can use benefits to buy foods such as:

  • breads and cereals
  • fruits and vegetables
  • meats, fish and poultry
  • dairy products

To learn more about SNAP, please visit http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap.

QUALIFICATIONS

Criteria for Household Income Limits

Gross amount of money a household can receive monthly & may still be eligible:

  • 1 person household – $1,659
  • 2 person household – $2,233
  • 3 person household – $2,808
  • 4 person household – $3,383
  • 5 person household – $3,958
  • For each additional person, add: $575

Among the allowable deductions considered are:

  • Rent/Mortgage costs
  • Utilities / Telephone
  • Medical Expenses
  • Paid court-ordered child support

Criteria for Household Resource Limits:

  • $5,000 in bank account
  • $15,000 vehicle fair market value
  • Other non-liquid resources, for ex. your home and 401K account

Other Criteria:

  • Children born in U.S. to undocumented residents may be eligible for Food Stamp assistance

To learn more about SNAP qualifications, please visit http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligibility.

INFORMACION

El Programa de Asistencia de Nutrición Suplementaria (SNAP, por sus siglas en inglés) ofrece asistencia nutricional a millones de individuos y familias elegibles y de bajos ingresos y proporciona beneficios económicos a las comunidades.

Los hogares que reciben SNAP pueden usar beneficios para comprar alimentos como:

  • pan y cereales
  • frutas y vegetales
  • carnes, pescados y aves
  • productos lácteos

Para obtener más información acerca de SNAP, por favor visite http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap.

CALIFICACIONES

  • 1 person household – $1,659
  • 2 person household – $2,233
  • 3 person household – $2,808
  • 4 person household – $3,383
  • 5 person household – $3,958
  • For each additional person, add: $575

Entre las deducciones consideradas que son permitidas:

  • Costos de Renta/Hipoteca
  • Utilidades
  • TelĂ©fono
  • Gastos MĂ©dicos
  • Pagos hechos que son ordenados por la corte para la manutenciĂłn de niños

Criterio para el limite de recursos del hogar:

  • $5,000 en su cuenta bancaria
  • Un vehĂ­culo con $15,000 de valor justo en el mercado
  • Otros recursos no liquidados por ejemplo su casa o cuentav 401K

Otros criterios:

  • Niños nacidos en los Estados Unidos con padres indocumentados posiblemente pueden ser elegibles
  • para asistencia de sellos de comida

Para obtener más información sobre las calificaciones de SNAP, visite http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligibility.

ABOUT

Medicaid is the State and Federal cooperative venture that provides medical coverage to eligible need individuals. 

Medicaid was introduced to to improve the health of people who might otherwise go without medical care for themselves and their children. You can think of Medicaid as a type of health insurance for low-income families, children, and people who are elderly or have a disability. But unlike regular health insurance, you don’t have to pay for it, and most services are free.

How does Medicaid work?

Each month you will receive a Medicaid ID card. It is very important that you keep it in a safe place. You will have to show that card each time you visit a doctor or get a prescription filled. You will not receive a monthly ID card if your only benefit is payment of all or part of your Medicare Part B premium.

What is covered?

In most cases, Medicaid pays for doctors’ services, laboratory and X-ray charges, medication, nursing facility and hospital services, family planning, eyeglasses, hearing aids, ambulance, podiatry, chiropractic, maternity, nurse midwife, and other health care services.

QUALIFICATIONS

Medicaid is available to qualifying Texans of all ages and abilities.

In general you must:

  • Be a Texas resident
  • Be a U.S. citizen or a non-citizen in certain recognized categories
  • Meet certain source and income limits, which vary by eligibility group

People who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Refugee Cash Assistance, and SSI automatically get Medicaid. (TANF is sometimes called welfare, and SSI is available to people who are elderly, blind, or have a disability).

Other people also may qualify based on their income and resources.

  • Low-income children under age 19 and pregnant women
  • Families that leave TANF for work or whose time limits have expired
  • Youths aging out of foster care
  • Families that have high medical bills they cannot pay
  • People who are elderly or have a disability who do not receive SSI may qualify for assistance in a nursing facility, intermediate care facility for people with mental retardation (ICF/MR), state school, or state hospital. They also may be eligible under a Medicaid waiver program or continue to qualify after being denied SSI due to a change in income
  • Medicaid also covers out-of-pocket medical expenses for certain Medicare recipients, such as Medicare premiums, deductibles, and co-insurance costs

Different eligibility requirements apply to each group.

Children in Texas without health insurance may be able to get low cost or free health coverage from the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or Children’s Medicaid.

What is covered?

CHIP and Children’s Medicaid both offer many benefits:

  • Dentist visits, cleanings, and fillings
  • Eye exams and glasses
  • Choice of doctors, regular checkups, and office visits
  • Prescription drugs and vaccines
  • Access to medical specialists and mental health care
  • Hospital care and services
  • Medical supplies, X-rays, and lab tests
  • Treatment of special health needs
  • Treatment of pre-existing conditions

To learn more about CHIP/Children’s Medicaid, please vist https://chipmedicaid.org/.

QUALIFICATIONS

CHIP/Children’s Medicaid is available to qualifying children under 19.

In general you must:

  • Be a Texas resident
  • Age 18 and under
  • A U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.
General guidelines – monthly income limits for CHIP/Children’s Medicaid
1 Person Household $1,945
2 Person Household $2,622
3 Person Household $3,299
4 Person Household $3,975
5 Person Household $4,652
6 Person Household $5,329
7 Person Household $6,005
8 Person Household $6,682

About

WIC is a nutrition program that helps pregnant women, new mothers, and young children eat well, learn about nutrition, and stay healthy. Nutrition education and counseling, nutritious foods, and help accessing health care are provided to low-income women, infants, and children through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program, popularly known as WIC.

What about fathers?

Fathers of children under the age of 5 are encouraged to enroll their children in the WIC program. Just like any other parent or guardian, fathers can bring their children to appointments, attend nutrition classes, and receive and redeem benefits for their children. Active participation by fathers is a great help in keeping WIC children healthy.

What does WIC provide and who receives the benefits?

WIC provides nutrition education, nutritious foods, referrals to health and human services, breast feeding support, and immunizations (at some clinics). Food benefits are issued for each client. Both fathers and mothers can receive and spend benefits for their children.

To learn more about WIC, please visit http://texaswic.dshs.state.tx.us/wiclessons/english/splash/.

Qualifications

Criteria for WIC

Who is eligible and who can apply?

  • Pregnant women
  • Women who are breastfeeding a baby under 1 year of age
  • Women who have had a baby in the past six months
  • Parents, step-parents, guardians, and foster parents of infants and children under the age of 5 can apply for their children

If you have a job or if you have private health insurance, you can still apply for WIC. You do not have to be married to apply for WIC.

Texas WIC Income Guidelines:

Number of Household Members* Gross Monthly Household Income** Gross Yearly Household Income**
1 $0 up to $1,832 $0 up to $21,978
2 $0 up to $2,470 $0 up to $29,637
3 $0 up to $3,108 $0 up to $37,296
4 $0 up to $3,747 $0 up to $44,955
5 $0 up to $4,385 $0 up to $52,614
6 $0 up to $5,023 $0 up to $60,273

To learn more about WIC qualifications, please visit http://texaswic.dshs.state.tx.us/wiclessons/english/about/.

About

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is designed to help needy families achieve self-sufficiency. States receive block grants to design and operate programs that accomplish one of the purposes of the TANF program. 

The four purposes of the TANF program are to:

  • Provide assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes
  • Reduce the dependency of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work and marriage
  • Prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies
  • Encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families

To learn more about TANF, please visit https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/tanf/about.

Qualifications

Texas Criteria for TANF

The following eligibility criteria must be explored:

  • Residence
  • Citizenship
  • Age
  • Relationship
  • Resources
  • Income
  • Domicile
  • Work Registration
  • Social Security Number

Recipients must also cooperate with the Personal Responsibility Agreement (PRA). The PRA requires recipients to:

  • cooperate with choices requirements
  • cooperate with child support requirements
  • agree not to voluntarily quit a job
  • stay free of alcohol or drug abuse
  • participate in parenting skills if referred
  • obtain medical screenings for their children and
  • ensure their children are immunized and attending school

To learn more about TANF qualifications in Texas, please visit https://www.benefits.gov/benefits/benefit-details/1679.

About

Healthy Texas Women is a program dedicated to offering women’s health and family planning at no cost to eligible women in Texas. These services help women plan their families, whether it is to achieve, postpone, or prevent pregnancy. They also can have a positive effect on future pregnancy planning and general health.

Healthy Texas Women provides a wide variety of women’s health and core family planning services, including:

  • Pregnancy testing
  • Pelvic examinations
  • Sexually transmitted infection services
  • Breast and cervical cancer screenings
  • Clinical breast examination
  • Screening and treatment for cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure
  • HIV screening
  • Long-acting reversible contraceptives
  • Oral contraceptive pills
  • Permanent sterilization
  • Other contraceptive methods such as condoms, diaphragm, vaginal spermicide, and injections
  • Screening and treatment for postpartum depression

This program pays only for the services listed above. If a health problem such as cancer is found, you will be referred to a doctor or clinic that can treat you. If you are pregnant, you will be referred to a program such as Medicaid for Pregnant Women. You might have to pay for those extra services

To learn more about Texas Healthy Women, please visit https://www.healthytexaswomen.org/htw-program.

Qualifications

Criteria for Texas Healthy Women

You can receive these benefits if you:

  • Are a woman between the ages of 18 to 44 years old.
    • Women are considered 18 years of age on the day of her 18th birthday and 44 years of age through the last day of the month of her 45th birthday.
  • Are a woman between the ages of 15 to 17 years old and have a parent or legal guardian apply, renew, and report changes to your case on your behalf.
    • Women are considered 15 years of age the first day of the month of her 15th birthday and 17 years of age through the day before her 18th birthday.
  • Are a U.S. citizen or legal immigrant.
  • Are a resident of Texas.
  • Don’t have health insurance.
  • Are not pregnant.
  • Meet the following income requirements:
Family Size,
Including Yourself
Monthly Maximum Family Income
(200% Federal Poverty Level)
1 $1,980
2 $2,670
3 $3,360
4 $4,050
5 $4,740
6 $5,430
7 $6,122

To learn more about Texas Healthy Women qualifications, please visit https://www.healthytexaswomen.org/htw-program.

Benefits Assistance Hours:

Monday: 9 am – 5 pm
Tuesday: 9 am – 5 pm

For questions regarding benefits assistance, please contact:

Lillian Escobedo
Case Assistance Navigator
lescobedo@safoodbank.org