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Neighborhood
Legal Services, Inc. |
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Food Stamps for Non-Public
Assistance Applicants
© 1997-2007 by Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc.
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How do I get a Food Stamp application?
Go to the first floor reception window of the Erie County Rath Building at 95
Franklin Street
in Buffalo and ask for an application for Non-Public Assistance Food Stamps, or
telephone the office
at 858-6242 and ask them to mail one to you. The form should be mailed to you on
the day you ask
for it. However, processing time for the application does not begin until the
completed form has
been returned to the Department of Social Services (DSS).
What do I do next?
When you get the application, fill it out completely and truthfully. Mail or
take the
application to the Non-Public Assistance Food Stamp Office, Rath Building, 95
Franklin Street,
Buffalo, New York 14202. When that office gets your application, they will call
you in for a face-to-face interview. This interview should happen within 7 business days of the
DSS receiving the
application.
What happens at the face-to-face interview?
During this interview, the number of persons in your Food Stamp Household and
your Food
Stamp Household's income and resources (e.g., bank accounts, IRA's) will be
determined. The
amount of Food Stamps you receive, if you qualify, will depend on this
information. You will have
to provide the Social Security numbers of everyone in the household, even if
they are not applying
for Food Stamps.
As a general rule, a Food Stamp Household is made up only of household members
who buy
and prepare food together. However, special rules apply when household members
are related.
How does the Food Stamp Office make its decision?
The Food Stamp Office must decide your application within 30 days of the date
you submit
it. They will usually issue Food Stamps going back to the date of your
application.
However, if you or someone in your household causes a delay, your application
can be held
open another 30 days. In this case, you will not get back benefits. If you delay
completing the
application for more than 60 days, your application can be denied.
What can I expect if your application is approved?
If your application is approved, you will receive an identification card and a
personal
identification number (PIN) which acts much like an ATM bank card. To get your
Food Stamps,
take the card to an authorized retail store and they will tell you how to get
your stamps.
What can I do if my application is denied?
Call our office immediately. We will review the decision with you. If it appears
to be wrong, we will tell you how to challenge it, or we may agree to take your case. You
must ask for a Fair
Hearing to challenge the denial within 90 days. To request a Fair Hearing,
notify the New York
State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) by telephone, fax, or
mail that you
want a Fair Hearing. You can write on the back of your notice the reason for
requesting the hearing.
If you phone, get the name of the person you speak to. If you write, send your
letter by certified mail
and keep a copy. The correct address is:
New York State Office of
Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)
Office of Administrative Hearings
P.O. Box 1930
Albany, New York 12201-1930
Telephone No.: 1-800-342-3334 or (716) 852-4868
Fax No. (518) 473-6735 (you will need a fair hearing request for available at this link.)
What if I would like to be screened to see if I am eligible for Food
Stamps?
Contact our office at 847-0650
and ask for the
Food Stamp hotline extension 415
