FNS Documents & Resources

This memo clarifies that any time all members of a household receive benefits under a program for needy families funded primarily through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, whether cash or other benefits such as services, the TANF resource rules apply and thus an income eligible working family can both own a car and obtain food stamps.

This policy memorandum clarifies the impact of the new Children's Health Insurance Program on WIC adjunct income eligibility.

States are making one-time or special assistance payments to households under state programs to keep the households from becoming monthly recipients of regular Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Such payments cannot be considered a nonrecurring lump-sum payment but must be counted as income. 

The following memo gives guidance on disqualifying a member of a food stamp household from the Food Stamp Program when that person fails to do something required by another public assistance program.

The fiscal year 1997 Supplemental Appropriations Act gave states the option of purchasing federal food stamps for use in state-funded food assistance programs that provide nutrition assistance to legal immigrants and childless, able-bodied adults ineligible for the Food Stamp Program because of the three-month food stamp time limit.

Attached is guidance for your staff and state agencies on submitting a request to purchase food stamps for use in state-funded nutrition programs. The guidance includes information on the terms for reimbursing the federal government for the value of food stamps distributed and the federal administrative costs incurred under such state programs.

The memorandum explains the circumstances under which a state agency may use the automatic eligibility provisions for free school meals and milk for children from households who are receiving assistance under the state’s TANF Program. It also discusses TANF as it affects reimbursement and eligibility under the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, restricts participation in most food assistance programs based on citizenship and alien status. WIC is specifically exempted from these restrictions, however, states have the option to limit participation to citizens and qualified aliens. 

Noncitizens who were receiving food stamps on Aug. 22, 1996, will not lose benefits due to their immigration status until at least April 22, 1997. If, for example, a person moves to another state or has a break in eligibility because of something unrelated to his or her noncitizen status (such as a temporary increase in earnings) and applies again before April 1, 1997, the new noncitizen eligibility requirements would not apply.

The Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act makes a significant change to implementation of the food stamp eligibility provisions for noncitizens of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.