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

48%of all

participants are children

$711 is the average gross monthly

income per SNAP

household

79% of all benefits

go to households

with children

58% of households with children

are headed by single parents

National Characteristics of SNAP Households

Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2009, USDA FNS

Helps Families Make Healthier Choices

Households CAN use SNAP

benefits for:

• Breads and cereals• Fruits and vegetables• Meats, fish and poultry• Dairy products• Fruit or Vegetable producing plants/seeds

Households CANNOT use

SNAP benefits for:

• 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-Eligible Food Purchases

SNAP Benefit $$$ in Billions FY 2011 preliminary numbers

71.8

2.99

US Illinois

Persons receiving SNAP BenefitsFY 2011 preliminary numbers

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

30,000,000

35,000,000

40,000,000

45,000,000

44,708,721

1,793,866

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 systemsToken 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

$10.00Apples

●

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

Fruits & Veggies61%

Baked Goods19%

Dairy6%

Honey3%

Meats6%

Value Added Products5%

Data from 11 of the 20 LINK Up Illinois supported markets.

a program of

What did customers buy?DVCP purchases 2011 season

Fruits & Veggies70%

Baked Goods14%

Dairy5%

Honey3%

Meats5%

Value Added Products2%

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

– Need phone line and electricity● Voucher

– 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