Getting your EBT program Up and
running
Sorting out the terminology: LINK, EBT,
SNAP, and Food Stamps
Sorting out the terminology: LINK, EBT,
SNAP, and Food Stamps
●
SNAP: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program, formerly known as "food stamps”
●
●
●
Administered by the USDA office of Food and Nutrition
Services(FNS).
Federal program that helps low-income individuals and
families buy the food they need for good health.
EBT: Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) is an
electronic system that allows recipients to access
their SNAP benefits using a card similar to a credit
card.
Sorting out the terminology: LINK, EBT,
SNAP, and Food Stamps
Sorting out the terminology: LINK, EBT,
SNAP, and Food Stamps cont..
•
LINK: The name for the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
system used in Illinois to distribute food and cash
assistance benefits, including SNAP.
•
The card used to redeem benefits is known as a Link card. Each
state has a different name for its EBT system-- for example,
Louisiana Purchase, Golden State Advantage (California), Oregon
Trail, Lone Star (Texas), or Hoosier Works (Indiana).
Assists People in Transition
National Characteristics of SNAP Households
48%
$711
79%
58%
of all
participants are
children
is the average
gross monthly
income per
SNAP
household
of all benefits
go to
households
with children
of households
with children
are headed by
single parents
Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2009, USDA FNS
Helps Families Make Healthier Choices
SNAP-Eligible Food Purchases
Households
CAN use SNAP
benefits
for:
Households
CANNOT use
SNAP benefits
for:
•
•
•
•
•
Breads and cereals
Fruits and vegetables
Meats, fish and poultry
Dairy products
Fruit or Vegetable producing plants/seeds
• Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco
• Any nonfood items, such as pet foods, soaps, paper
products
• Vitamins and medicines
• Food or hot meals that will be eaten on-site or in
the store
SNAP Benefit $$$ in Billions
FY 2011 preliminary numbers
2.99
71.8
US
Illinois
Persons receiving SNAP Benefits
FY 2011 preliminary numbers
44,708,721
50,000,000
40,000,000
30,000,000
20,000,000
1,793,866
10,000,000
0
US
Illinois
Is a LINK Program Feasible for your
Market?
* Staffing and support
●
LINK/EBT coordinator
–
Works the LINK booth/tent/table
–
Keeps track of receipts, tokens, incentive program
–
Prepares accounting reports
Is a LINK Program Feasible for your
Market?
●
Backroom Accounting
–
Processes checks for vendors
–
Pays transaction fees if any
–
Between 2-4 hours work per week
How SNAP/LINK works in the Market
●
Needs a special redemption system
●
Since most farmers/vendors do not have a machine
at their stand for processing, a method of
exchanging food for payment needs to be in place.
–
Token, Script, or Receipt?
Token
Paper
Receipt
Redemption systems
Token or Paper?
●
●
Easier for Customers to use, more back end
accounting for you.
Accounting
–
Keep good accounting of stock – do 3 counts and record!
●
●
●
1st of complete stock.
2nd of Tokens given out.
3rd of tokens coming back from Farmer.
Redemption systems
“CHITs”
●
●
●
Easier for Market Manager, more work for
shopper
Be sure to have extra Generic CHITs on hand.
Keep all returned CHITs for accounting at end
of day.
Farmer John 01
$10.00
Apples
●
Ideas on Improving your existing program?
Incentive Programs
LINK Up Illinois Double Value Coupon Program
(modeled after Wholesome Waves DVCP) helps
to increase a SNAP recipients buying power for
food at Farmers Markets.
This is basically a 2 for 1 program
(up to a certain amount)
Ideas on Improving your existing program?
Incentive Programs
●
Helps to grow your market by reaching new
customers who could not otherwise afford to
purchase fresh and wholesome foods.
What did customers buy?
SNAP purchases 2011 season
Meats
Honey 6%
3%
Dairy
6%
Value Added
Products
5%
Baked Goods
19%
Fruits & Veggies
61%
Data from 11 of the 20 LINK Up Illinois supported markets.
a program of
What did customers buy?
DVCP purchases 2011 season
Meats
Honey 5%
4%
Dairy
5%
Value Added
Products
2%
Baked Goods
14%
Fruits & Veggies
70%
Data from 11 of the 20 LINK Up Illinois supported markets.
a program of
Basic First Steps
●
Apply to with Food and Nutrition Service
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailers/application-process.htm
●
●
Online application.
●
Turn around time less then 45 days, faster for Farmers Markets.
Determine How to process payments
●
Free EBT only Machine from FNS
–
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Voucher
–
●
Need phone line and electricity
Can combine with EBT machine
Buy, rent, or get FREE Wireless Machine from third party
processer
–
Responsible for processing fees
For help with bringing EBT/LINK to your
market contact…
Corey Chatman
LINK Up Illinois Program Manager
Email corey@experimentalstation.org
(o) 773-241-6044
(cell) 773-896-4450
Experimental Station
6100 S. Blackstone
Chicago Il 60637