The first American food stamp program was introduced in 1939 and was used by families devastated by the Great Depression. The food stamp program we know was created by the Food Stamp Act of 1964. The Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, “helps low-income people and families buy the food they need for good health.” The State of Maine DHHS refers to the program as the “Food Supplement Program.”
A food stamp beneficiary receives an EBT or “electronic benefit transfer,” card that works just like a debit card and can be used on a variety of food products at participating vendors. In the State of Maine this card is called the “Pine Tree Card.”
Food Stamp Eligibility
The federal income eligibility for Food Stamps is a monthly gross income test of 130 percent of the federal poverty line. However, the federal government has given flexibility to states on what guidelines they use for gross income; states can use guidelines as high as 200% of the federal poverty line. The State of Maine uses 185% model.
| Household size | Gross monthly and (Annual) income (185 percent of poverty) |
| 1 | $1,670 ($20,040) |
| 2 | 2,247 (26,964) |
| 3 | 2,823 (33,876) |
| 4 | 3,400 (40,800) |
| 5 | 3,976 (47,712) |
| 6 | 4,553 (54,636) |
| 7 | 5,130 (61,560) |
| 8 | 5,706 (68,472) |
| Each additional member | +577 (+6,924) |
The State of Maine, along with 28 other states, has also removed the Federal asset limitation guidelines. This Broad Based Categorical Eligibility “allows families with high costs (like child care costs, housing costs, and medical cost for elderly and disabled families) to access the benefits they need.”
Food Stamp Benefits
The benefits an individual or family gets is based on how many people are in the household, on 30% of your adjusted gross income and a set monthly allotment:
| People in Household | Maximum Monthly Allotment |
| 1 | $ 200 |
| 2 | $ 367 |
| 3 | $ 526 |
| 4 | $ 668 |
| 5 | $ 793 |
| 6 | $ 952 |
| 7 | $ 1,052 |
| 8 | $ 1,202 |
| Each additional person… | $ 150 |
Benefit Calculation
To calculate your benefits, you must first calculate your adjusted gross income or your “net income.” There are series of deductions that you apply to your income including: a standard deduction, dependent care deduction, child support deduction and medical costs if you are a senior or disabled.
(Maximum allotment) – (net monthly income x 30%) = Monthly Food Stamp Benefit
For example, a family of 4’s monthly net income is $1,154, they would receive $321
The Average monthly benefit in the state of Maine is $121.20 a month
Food Stamp Spending
The SNAP program is directly funded by the federal government. The only cost the state has to share is the administrative cost, unlike most welfare programs that have a direct cost to the state of Maine. In 2009, the program served 33.7 million people and cost the Federal government 53 billion dollars.
Food Stamp Caseload
Maine has one of the highest participation rates in the SNAP program in the country. According to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, 72.3% Individuals eligible for Food Stamps participate in the program. In August 2010, the monthly participation of the Food Stamp program in Maine was 239,309 individuals. Since 2000, participation in the food stamp program in Maine has grown from just 97,714 individuals, up 145% in just a decade.
