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Food Stamps

Cleveland Food Stamp Program

The Department of Job and Family Services is responsible for the Office of Families and Children which provides the food stamp program within the state of Ohio. Known as the Food Assistance Program, people in Ohio can apply for assistance when they are experiencing financial difficulties in providing for themselves or their families. The program provides these individuals with benefits so that they can purchase food at local grocery stores in the area which accept SNAP. The state of Ohio has helped thousands of people be able to afford food and stay healthy by the use of this program. The benefits are provided to recipients on an EBT card known as the Ohio Direction Card. To learn more about the program, individuals can visit the Job and Family Services Office of Family Stability website.

In order to apply, individuals can go to the ODJFS Online site and download an application to print out. General information is required in order to fill out the application. You can expect to provide information about your financial situation, your assets, the amount of people living in your household, and various other personal information. When you have completed the application, you must send the document in to the department in your county. There is also a tool that can be used before you fill out the application to give you some insight into whether or not you would be eligible to participate in the program. When you have submitted all of your information, you will be given an interview time. This is a time when you must provide further information about your situation and generally some information about the people who are living within your household for verification reasons.

Your household size and your income are generally the main elements that are going to determine if you will receive aid and how much you will receive. Some people are not able to receive aid at all, such as people who are on strike and people who have assets over $2000. However, if you have low wages and you are not able to afford your rent or your bills, there’s a good chance that you are going to be approved for the program. In some circumstances, you may be awarded benefits earlier if you can prove that you are in an emergency or a hardship. In most cases, you will receive a decision letter which explains whether you have been approved or denied. If you have been approved, you will receive an EBT card with benefits that are available on a monthly basis. These benefits can be used at any of the stores in your area which support the use of SNAP benefits.

For more information about gaining access to SNAP benefits in Cleveland, Ohio you can consult with the contact information provided below. Application forms may be downloaded and printed in pdf format. These forms should be returned to the nearest SNAP office. Locations for SNAP offices are listed by county and located in the Office by County link below.

Helpful Links and Phone Numbers

ODJFS – http://jfs.ohio.gov/ofam/foodstamps.stm
Download and Print Form – http://jfs.ohio.gov/ofam/cmandfsa.stmhttp://www.odjfs.state.oh.us/forms/interfind.asp?formnum=07200
Offices by County – http://jfs.ohio.gov/County/County_Directory.pdf
Local Snaps Office: (216)987-7000