In addition to more immediate access to food pantries and free meals, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, offers a sustainable option for students and their families to obtain groceries in the long-term.
If you need assistance with your SNAP application, please set-up an appointment for a one-on-one meeting with a member of our team. If you have general questions, feel free to attend our drop-in hours, email, or call us.
What is SNAP?
SNAP is a federal program that provides nutrition benefits via an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card used at grocery stores and retailers to purchase food. You can purchase any food products including breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meats, fish and poultry. SNAP does not cover alcohol or tobacco products, hot or prepared foods, or any non-food items such as paper products, medicines, household supplies or pet food.
Who is Eligible for SNAP?
SNAP eligibility is based on your gross income and family size. You must be a US citizen or a Green Card holder of 5 years to be eligible for SNAP. If you do not meet these requirements but you have a child who was born in the United States, your child may be eligible for SNAP.
Based on new legislation approved by Governor Cuomo in October 2020, eligibility for students has been expanded. Low-income college students engaged at least half-time (6 credits or more per semester) in Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses offered at a SUNY, CUNY, comprehensive, technical, or community colleges now may be eligible to apply. At Guttman, students in three of our programs qualify as potentially SNAP-eligible via Perkins/CTE enrollment: Human Services, Business Administration and Information Technology.
For those who want to apply under the new exception for students enrolled in career and technical education programs, you will need to show that you are enrolled half-time or more at Guttman in one of the programs of study above. CUNY will provide you with an official “CUNY Student Verification of Enrollment” form to include with your SNAP application. Visit this website to see how to download your CUNY Student Verification of Enrollment form.
To learn more information about SNAP and to determine your eligibility, use this flow chart and complete a brief survey at https://tinyurl.com/snapeligible and someone from the Connect Center will follow up with you about next steps. If you have other questions, please call our office at 646-313-8857 or email us at connectcenter@guttman.cuny.edu to schedule an appointment. We offer one on one guided support in applying for SNAP if you are eligible.
How Do I apply for SNAP on my own?
You will apply for SNAP through your local Human Resources Administration (HRA) office. To apply online for SNAP benefits, please use this link: https://access.nyc.gov
