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Nutrition Assistance

What Is Nutrition Assistance?

Nutrition Assistance (formerly the Food Stamp Program) is Arizona’s program for the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Nutrition Assistance provides eligible households with monthly benefits they can use to purchase nutritious food. By helping families fight food insecurity and meet one of their fundamental needs, they can focus on overcoming barriers to self-sufficiency.

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Nutrition Assistance

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How to Apply

Learn about eligibility, needed information and the process to apply for benefits.

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Information We May Need

Find out which information you may need to provide to determine eligibility.

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Report a Change

Learn how to report a change to your existing Nutrition Assistance case.

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reporting a change

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Frequently Asked Questions

Restaurant Meals Program

The Restaurant Meals Program allows certain Nutrition Assistance (NA) participants to use their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to purchase prepared meals from participating restaurants. This may also include the deli section of a participating grocery store. This program is available to an NA household if every person in the household meets one or more of the following conditions:

  • Has a disability
  • Is 60 years of age or older
  • Is homeless and does not have a fixed or regular nighttime residence

List of Restaurants Participating in the Meals Program

What if there is a restaurant I would like to be involved with the Restaurant Meals Program?

Give the manager or owner of the restaurant this flyer about the Restaurant Meals Program for merchants.

I am a restaurant that is interested in participating in the Restaurant Meals Program. What do I need to do?

For more information, see the flyer about the Restaurant Meals Program for merchants.

To get started or to renew participation, download the form Restaurant Meals Program Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

Once complete, the MOU and copies of the government photo ID must be sent to the Department of Economic Security Family Assistance Administration by any of the following methods:

Email to: [email protected]

Fax to: 602-256-4856

Mail to:
DBME Systems Administrator/EBT Project Director
P.O.Box 6123, Mail Drop 33I1
Phoenix, Arizona 85005

Do I need a different EBT card to use at a restaurant?

No, if you or your household meets one or more of the conditions listed on the webpage, your EBT card has been enabled to use at participating restaurants.

Do all restaurants participate in the Restaurant Meals Program?

No, participating restaurants are listed on the webpage and updated quarterly. Look for signs that the restaurant accepts EBT.

Do restaurants charge sales tax for meals?

Restaurants should not be charging sales tax when you purchase your meal using your EBT card. You should review your receipts before leaving the restaurant. If you were charged sales tax in error, you should first attempt to resolve this with the restaurant. You also can call the telephone number on the back of your EBT card and open a dispute claim.

SNAP Online Purchasing

As announced by Governor Ducey, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service authorized Arizona to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Online Purchasing Pilot. Nutrition Assistance recipients will be able to make online purchases for grocery items with authorized SNAP retailers.

The following authorized SNAP retailers accept EBT payment for online transactions:

AJ’s Fine Foods

Albertsons

Aldi

Amazon

Bashas’

Cardenas Market

Eddie’s Country Store

Food City

Fry’s Foods

Los Altos Ranch Markets

Norm's IGA (Kearny)

Safeway

Sam’s Club

Smith's Food and Drug

Sprouts

Target

Walmart

Whole Foods Market

Frequently Asked Questions

View frequently asked questions related to SNAP Online Purchasing.

Become a SNAP Internet Retailer

Retailers who are interested in online purchasing for SNAP EBT must meet USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) requirements and obtain authorization to participate. To learn more, visit the FNS Online Purchasing website, and view FNS requirements.

Double Up Food Bucks

Through the Double Up Food Bucks Program, individuals receiving Nutrition Assistance can take home twice as many fruits and vegetables when they use their benefits at select farmers markets, CSAs, farm stands, and corner stores.

Find a Participating Location

Additional Resources

  • Double Up Food Bucks is a program that allows current Nutrition Assistance participants an opportunity to receive additional fruits and vegetables.
  • The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federally funded program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including elderly people, by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost. Under TEFAP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) makes commodity foods available to state distributing agencies.
  • The Commodity Senior Food Program (CSFP) works to improve the health of low-income persons who are at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with a monthly package of nutritious food at no cost. CSFP foods are purchased by the state from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).
  • Congregate Meal Programs provide older adults with positive social contacts with other seniors at the meal sites. A congregate meal is a nutritious hot meal provided at least once a day to an eligible participant at a nutrition site, senior center or other group setting. Congregate sites may also offer a variety of health-related services such as transportation, health screening, social service referrals, legal assistance, physical and social activities and volunteer opportunities.
  • The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program is a federal program that works to improve the health of low-income seniors who are at least 60 years of age, income is at or below 185% of the annual poverty income guidelines, or is participating in the Commodity Senior Food Program.
  • The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Farmers Market Nutrition Program is a federal program that works to improve the health of low-income families who are current WIC participants and currently receiving benefits.
  • Cash Assistance helps families meet their basic needs for well-being and safety and serves as their path to self-sufficiency. The Cash Assistance program provides temporary cash benefits and supportive services to the neediest of Arizona's children and their families.
  • Medical Assistance: Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) is Arizona's Medicaid agency that offers health care programs to serve Arizona residents. AHCCCS provides medical insurance coverage to thousands of Arizonans each year. It helps citizens obtain doctor’s office visits, physical exams, immunizations, prenatal care, hospital care and prescriptions they need.
  • Unemployment Insurance may be provided to individuals who lost their job through no fault of their own.
  • Additional Community Resources are also available for individuals in need.

Publications

For additional documents, brochures and pamphlets related to the Nutrition Assistance program, please visit our Document Center.

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