Washington residents: Getting food stamps and EBT is easier than you thought

Adrian Adams

November 1st

Free Food

Thousands of people go to sleep without a meal each night because they lack the resources to buy healthy and feasible food.

In the United States, people have faced this problem for a long while. If your monthly income is low, or if you are unemployed and you are looking for methods that will conveniently aid your lack of income without a fuss, then look no further.

Solutions that aid your financial distress have been underway for a long time, and one of these has been very successful in providing relief to households with low income. Among these programs, one has stood out. It has provided a convenient answer to major financial issues.

There is a lot of information about EBT available and keeping all of it in check can be a bit hectic. The benefits received through Washington State Food Stamps are different for different people. So it is hard to keep track of everything.

The criteria is also very complicated.

We strive to make managing your Washington EBT benefits easier for you. This guide aims to simplify all the outlines regarding this into one easy guide. We have also provided details on how you can use your quest card to minimize your expenses as much as possible.

EBT Cards Washington Made Easy

People who apply for Washington State food assistance are issued EBT Cards. The term EBT means Electronic Benefits Transfer. EBT card Washington is also referred to as a Quest card.

If you are at a store and lack the necessary funds to make a purchase, you can use this card to aid that purchase. This card can only be used at stores that accept EBT cards. To receive further assistance you may call the Washington food stamps phone number: 1-888-328-9271.

Applying For the Washington Quest Card

Wondering how to apply for food stamps in Washington state?
You can apply for EBT Washington State the following ways:

• Physically:

All you have to do is find and visit a Washington State quest card office in your locality. You can search for an office in your vicinity online or look for it on the USDA map.

• Online:

If you want to save time and energy, you can apply for food stamps WA online. It is an easier and hassle-free method. All you need to do is make an account and fill out a Washington State food stamps application. Visit this site to apply for food stamps washington state now: https://apps.state.or.us/onlineApplication/

If you are still confused regarding the application process and require assistance, call the
Washington Connection Phone Number.

Do I qualify for food stamps WA? And if not, how do I get qualified?

In order to find out if you are eligible for Washington food stamps, you need to go through a few hurdles. The Washington State EBT rules fluctuate a lot. Fortunately, this guide can make things simple. However, the best method to find whether you qualify is to actually apply for food stamps Washington.

The requirements for Food Stamps Washington State might surprise you!

To find out if you fill the requirements for food assistance in Washington, they require your Household Size and your Household income.

Household Size

This implies that they need to know the number of people that live with you and consequently eat with you. Do note that you could have residents in your household that do not necessarily count as household members, these include people that live on rent in your household and people that earn for themselves and are above the age of 22.

Also note that even if they earn their food, children under the age of 22 will be counted as household members in all cases. In the case of people with disabilities or people above the age of 60, they will be eligible as a member of the household if you acquire food for them, not if they can acquire it for themselves. If you have children you can take advantage of free back to school supplies as well.

What if I have no permanent address?

You are eligible for Washington basic food benefits even if you lack a permanent address. A postal address is unnecessary for food stamps. If you reside in a shelter that accommodates your meals, you still would be eligible for an EBT Card WA .

What will the household size be considered in the case of pregnant women?

If one is pregnant, they will not be eligible for more DSHS food stamps until after the child is born. While they may not get more Washington food stamp balance, they would be eligible for WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) benefits.

Resources and food for pregnant women, children under 5 years of age and new parents are provided by WIC.

WIC program food packages generally include juice, cereal, milk, eggs, peanut butter, canned and dried beans, vegetables and fruits, whole wheat bread, tofu, and baby food. Cheese and canned fish are also included in the package for breastfeeding moms. You can even get health coaching, immunizations and health insurance with WIC.

Household Income—how it affects your benefits

Washington will also need to know the monthly income of your household. This is the income you earn through work, it can also be money that you have received from sources like child support or insurance.

A person is only eligible for Washington food benefits if their income is less than the average monthly income limit. In order to outline tax deductions, one should apply for EBT Washington and they will have figure eliminate all deductions to give a net amount of your income.

For the case of unemployment, if you have a disability, or are more than 60 years of age, or live with someone under 18, or are pregnant, you don’t need to have a job to be eligible for WA food stamps.

If you do not have children or disabilities and are unemployed, you fall under the category of “Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents” or ABAWD. In this case, you are only eligible for SNAP benefits WA for three months per three years.

Convictions and Drug Felonies Might Affect Your Benefits Too!

If you fall under the all aforementioned requirements then you are eligible for Washington SNAP despite having committed a drug felony.

Citizenship—Can Immigrants Still Benefit?

For the case of immigrants, if one holds the position of a Qualified Alien, they are eligible for Washington DSHS food stamps.

Iraqi and Afghani, Cuban and Haitian immigrants, and refugees and victims of trafficking, and others fall under such a category. These non-citizens must also meet all the aforementioned requirements such as the Washington food stamp income limit.

Non-citizens have to undergo a waiting period until they are found eligible for Washington state food benefits. There are Qualified Aliens and their position is described in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act.

This citizen is a Lawful Permanent Resident or LPR, that has accumulated 40 quarters of work. Citizens can also qualify without undergoing a waiting period, these qualified aliens are and are not limited to:

• The victims of trafficking
• Admitted refugees
• Asylees
• Amerasian Immigrants
• Special Immigrants from Afghanistan and Iran
• Only certain American Indians that were born abroad
• Residents with blindness or disabilities that receive government payments
• Residents that have a connection to the military
• Children of alien-residents that are qualified

Renewing Washington Food Assistance Benefits Made Simple

Once a household is determined eligible for food stamps, they are “certified” for a set period. This is referred to as the certification period. For food stamps WA renewal, you are required to “re-certify” or reapply before your assigned certification period ends. This can be as short as a month or even two years.

Households in Washington generally get a certification period of 12 months. Approved households are notified via post when their certification period is about to end. However, to be on the safe side, it is advised to mark the date on a calendar or set a reminder.

You can contact the Washington EBT number, a local office or your caseworker to get more information on how to renew food stamps.

How do I renew my food stamps online?
It is possible to renew Washington SNAP benefits online through a Washington Connection EBT account.

What time do food stamps Washington State come in? Don’t miss out!

In Washington, the date your Washington State Basic Food benefits are deposited into the EBT card depends on when you submitted your application and when it got approved.
You can get more information regarding the Basic Food WA monthly issuance dates on the official Washington EBT site.

How to check EBT Balance WA Quickly

To check your EBT Balance WA, you can call the EBT Washington Phone Number: 888-328-9271
How can I check food stamp balance online WA? Here’s everything you need to know.
It is very simple. You only need to go to www.ebt.acs-inc.com. Sign-in to access all of your information, including your Washington EBT balance. You can also order a new EBT Washington through this website.

Lost EBT card Washington? This site also offers Washington State EBT card replacement incase of a lost quest card.

Tired of waiting? Here’s how long does it take to get a new Washington State EBT card?

If you have followed the procedure accurately then your card should be delivered to you within 30 days after your application is submitted.

Reporting Household Changes—What kind of changes am I required to report?

According to the Washington EBT card rules, it is important to report the following two times in a year (halfway through your certification period and at the time of re-certification):
Someone moving in/out of the household
Any changes in financial position due to child support, savings, income or rent.

The following changes should be reported within 10 days of their occurrence:

• The overall income of your household is greater than the food stamps WA income limit. This generally happens if a household member starts earning more or someone else who earns moves in.
• When a child or an able-bodied adult, training or working twenty hours per week, begin training or working less.

If your family is moving places, make sure to report the new address as soon as possible.

All of these changes can be reported online via a Washington Connection DSHS account.

What kind of food can I buy with an EBT card? (You might be surprised!)

The 2009 Food and Nutrition Act states that a food product or any food intended for human consumption and home preparation (including produce-bearing plants and seeds) come under the category of eligible foods.

Your Washington State EBT card balance can be used to purchase snacks, groceries as well as seeds of plants that produce food. Things that are not eligible for purchase with the WA SNAP benefits include tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, live animals, vitamins and prepared foods, hot food, and any other nonfood items.

You can utilize your EBT card balance WA to buy the following foods

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Poultry, meat, and fish
• Cereals
• Bread
• Dairy Products
• Snack foods
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Food producing plants and seeds

Things that are not eligible for purchase with the WA State EBT balance include:

• Wine, beer, liquor
• Tobacco or cigarettes
• Medicines
• Vitamins or supplements. (Any item with the label “Supplement Facts” comes under this category and cannot be purchased through your WA EBT balance)
• Live animals (excluding animals slaughtered before they are picked up from the shop, fish that is freshly taken out from water and shellfish)
• Prepared foods or hot foods intended for immediate/on-premises consumption
• Non Food articles (such as paper products, soaps, cleaning supplies, pet foods, medicines, grooming items, cosmetics, hygiene items, and other household supplies)

What if I cannot afford other essentials apart from food? (There’s help out there!)

For someone that pregnant or is responsible for a child under the age of 19 years, they might qualify for the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) program. In Washington State, it is called WorkFirst. WorkFirst helps low-income households with children become self-sufficient by providing monthly financial assistance.

Discounts and Deals? We’ve got you covered.

If you are eligible for WA State EBT, you can take advantage of many other low-income perks. In this section, we will talk about all the extra benefits of receiving food assistance Washington State that most people do not even know about.

Discounted Admission to Venues across Washington state!

Apart from getting food assistance in WA, you can take advantage of your low-income status to reduce costs on other purchases as well. Your Quest card WA makes you eligible for free or discounted admission to various venues across the state of Washington. These include:

KiDiMu (Kids Discovery Museum)- Bainbridge Island:

• A $3 entry fee per individual is all you need to pay if you have an EBT card. Featuring a literacy and science hall, a toddler zone and a pirate treehouse, this museum is heaven for kids!
• The Kids Discovery Museum also has a “Free First Thursday” offer. This means your family can get free entry without any documentation on the first Thursday of every month!

KidsQuest Children’s Museum- Bellevue:

• This Museum has an entry fee of only $3/person for households with Washington State EBT cards , WIC, Apple Health, CHIP or Provider One cards! Children under the age of one get free admission.

Whatcom Museum- Bellingham:

• If your household has a lower monthly income, the Whatcom Museum gives away a concession in their membership. But since the availability of information is limited in this regard it is advised by their website to email them and have them guide you properly.

Imagine Children’s Museum- Everett:

• With the perspective of children between 1 to 12, this museum was designed. Imagine Children’s Museum is set to motivate children in order to have them think, so they can create, explore, splash, experiment, and wonder. Once you’ve traversed along the Giant tree, the drama stage, a railroad, an airplane, the wildlife clinic, and many more exciting places shall be uncovered!

Maryhill Museum of Art- Goldendale:

• The Museum for all program allows the Maryhill Museum of art to provide discounts on their admission at all times when they are open. With this in place, this museum also has a 2-for-1 offer available and other free offers as well!

Hands-on Children’s Museum- Olympia:

• The Hands-on Children’s Museum offers free entry to as much as two guests on every EBT card. Additional entries require an added payment of $2. If you are going through financial difficulties, are eligible for food benefits WA, or are receiving reduced or even free lunches, then that might allow you a concession or even a free visit. You might even be eligible for a free or discounted 6-month membership!

Reach Museum- Richland:

• The REACH exhibits the history, geology, and wildlife of a locality to provide an educational experience to its viewers. It provides displays that lay down the effect of a myriad of prehistoric historic and historic events such as the Ice age and the Manhattan Project.

Living Computers: Museum + Labs- Seattle:

• To access the Living Computers: Museum+Labs you are required to provide proof of eligibility which will allow you to qualify for their Access rate. You are also eligible for this Access rate if you have signed up for any public assistance service, such as Washington Food Stamps, WIC, Medicaid, free/reduced school lunches, etc, or are a certified foster house. To receive this Access rate you only have to bring proof of assistance to the museum during its business hours to meet the requirements for entry.

Museum of History and Industry- Seattle:

• MOHAI offers displays that allow you to traverse through the past and the future of Seattle through hands-on exhibits, historic images, and rare objects. Maritime Seattle, The Bezos Center for Innovation and True Northwest are permanent in-house exhibits at this museum. Edible City, the Kid-construction zone and many more fall under the temporary exhibits.

Museum of Pop Culture- Seattle:

• Have you heard? The Museum of Pop Culture is offering free entry with an EBT Washington State! And on top of that, you can even bring three guests along! This means four people in MoPop free with just a single Quest card, with savings going up to $112!

PacSci (Pacific Science Center)- Seattle:

• The PacSci provides an incredible offer for households on public assistance (both WA EBT and Medicaid). A family of up to 6 children and 2 adults can get an access membership for only $19/year.

Seattle Art Museum – Seattle:

• You only have to pay up to $3 per person for admission into this museum. However, only four people can avail of this discount with a single EBT card.

Seattle Children’s Museum- Seattle:

• Get a discount on your entry fee for the Seattle Children’s Museum by showing your ProviderOne or EBT Card! Your entire family will only be charged $1/person if you show your EBT card.

Seattle Children’s Theatre- Seattle

• Households with an EBT card can purchase up to 2 discounted adult tickets for only $10 person and can get up to six free child tickets! Note: The children must come with an adult.
  You can purchase tickets for weekend shows on the day of performance but pre-booking is required for performances on Thursday and Friday.

Southeast Seattle Tool Library- Seattle:

• Adults above the age of 18 are eligible to borrow tools (which includes power tools) from this Tool Library. If you come from a low-income household you only need to pay a $25 membership fee per year to borrow tools for as long as a week. If no one else is on the waiting list for the tool you borrowed, you can keep it with you for a longer amount of time.

Woodland Park Zoo- Seattle:

• Families with EBT or WIC can get discounted entry tickets costing $5/person to the Woodland Park Zoo. You can buy up to six discounted tickets with a single EBT card. This offer is only applicable to residents of Washington State.

Foss Waterway Seaport- Tacoma:

• Foss Waterway Seaport is also a part of the Museums for All initiative. If you have a Washington EBT card, you only have to pay $2 for admission per person (up to two adults and four children).
• Foss Waterway Seaport does not only features magnificent ships but also has a wonderful boat shop and museum. You can get so much information regarding the people, environment, and history of the Tacoma and Puyallup tribe.

The History Museum- Tacoma:

• Your kids will truly love this Museum! You can register your kids for a scavenger hunt. It also has many dress-up spots and interactive stations. Not to forget the kid-friendly computers, theater area as well as various interactive exhibits.

The Tacoma Art Museum- Tacoma:

• You can get free admission to this museum from 5 to 8 pm every third Thursday of the month.

The Museum of Glass- Tacoma:

• This museum offers free admission from 5 to 8 pm every third Thursday of the month as well.

Tacoma Children’s Museum -Tacoma:

• Tacoma Children’s Museum operates on donations. You can pay whatever you can afford for admission. Therefore, a food stamp card is not necessary for a discount.

Discounted Services and Programs with Your Washington EBT Card!

These discounts/freebies that can be availed with an EBT card Washington State or WIC can help stretch your budget and improve your wellbeing.

Internet Services:

A lot of major internet service providers have affordable programs targeting low-income families. However, you will have to search for a service that is available in your area and whether you qualify for it. Access by AT&T is one of the cheapest internet programs. It will cost you only $5-$10/month.

Power Companies:

You may also qualify for lower utility bills through the LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)
Some power companies also offer a budget-based plan for low-income households.

Free Weatherization

According to the DOE guidelines, if you have been approved for a federal assistance program (including food stamps Washington) you automatically qualify for free weatherization. While this program does not cover structural improvements like a new siding or roof, it can improve your home’s energy efficiency. This will significantly lower your energy bills.

Phone Plans and Free Cell Phones:

Some companies offer free cell phones with discounted phone plans to low-income families such as Assurance, Safelink Wireless, and Q Link.

Amazon Membership

EBT cards Washington State can be used to get an Amazon Prime membership at the discounted price of $5.99/month. All you need to do is register a valid EBT.

Lime Access

This plan is provided by Lime Bike Share. Lime Access program presents an initiative for anyone that can show that they are qualified enough for or already a part of a federal or state assistance program. (such as WIC, food stamps, Medicaid or any other benefits)

Medical and Veterinary Care:

If you are eligible for WIC or EBT WA it implies that your household’s income is low. This aids you in your visits to the doctor too! Based on your income and spending ability, your region’s hospital or clinic might offer you concessions on your rates. This is applicable irrelevant of whether you possess Medicaid or not. You may ask the person making your bill and they will give you your due concession by using the sliding scale fees system. This makes a huge difference in lowering your medical debt! In addition to this, several veterinary clinics also provide concessions on their bills if you provide them with your Quest Card. This way your pets can also receive proper care and treatments.

YMCA

If your household’s income is low then you are also viable for receiving financial aid from YMCA locations. Based on your income you may be eligible for a reduction in cost or even a free membership to the YMCA. You may contact your region’s YMCA for further information.

Hot Food

At some 7/11 stores, you can use your WA state food stamps to purchase a frozen pizza and also have it baked there and then.
Some pizza chains accept EBT cards for take-and-bake. A few even cook it if you pay an additional fee in cash separately. Zappos, Figaro’s and Leonardi’s Pizza (Winco) are some places that will cook the pizza on-site for around $1.

Retailers

Your Washington EBT card balance can be used at some places you would never think of! Costco, you-pick strawberry fields and farmer’s market all accept food stamps. You can even get some freebies or discounts from certain retailers with your Washington Quest Card. There are also ways you can get help with free gas on top of all this.

Can I use my Washington quest card balance in other States? (YES)

Yes, your Washington State EBT Balance can be availed at all authorized stores throughout the United States.

Food Stamps WA Guide—Take Advantage While You Still Can!!!

To sum up everything, we have provided you with a detailed look into the process of acquiring Washington State food stamps, from qualifying for it to the various factors that affect the acquisition of it. It is important to make sure you fit the criteria before applying for food stamps Washington. Although if you are still confused, do not hesitate to call the EBT customer service Washington.

Once proven eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, you shall receive your Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card and benefits in around 30 days from the date you filed your Washington State EBT application. If your household’s income is considered lower than the gross limit and you were found eligible for Food Benefits, your benefits should be in the account within 7 days from the date you applied.

Be hopeful, the aid you shall receive in your income might seem minimal, but each month it makes a big difference in running your household and organize your budget. And lastly, make sure you understand all the complexities before you apply for food stamps WA to avoid any problems at your end.