Delaware SNAP (Food Supplement Program)

Delaware calls SNAP the Food Supplement Program. It puts monthly food money on an EBT card you swipe like a debit card at most grocery stores. Apply online through Delaware ASSIST at assist.dhss.delaware.gov, which handles SNAP, Medicaid, cash help, energy help, and WIC on one application, or apply in person at any State Service Center. For help, call the Division of Social Services at 302-255-9040.

Know the income line first. Most households qualify with gross monthly income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. That is $2,610 a month for one person and $5,360 for a household of four. Delaware uses a higher cutoff than the 130 percent figure many national guides cite, so a working family that was turned away in another state may still qualify here.

Some households are not income-tested at all. If everyone in the home already gets TANF, General Assistance, or SSI, the state skips the income test. Households with a member who is 60 or older, or who has a disability, are treated as a separate household and measured against a higher 165 percent of poverty line.

The benefit is real money. Maximum monthly amounts run from $298 for one person to $785 for three and $994 for a household of four. A household with no income gets the maximum, and most working households get a smaller amount based on what they earn.

One work rule is coming. Starting in 2026, able-bodied adults without dependents must spend at least 80 hours a month working or taking part in the SNAP Employment and Training program. You get three months of benefits before you must meet the rule or report an approved exemption. If a medical problem stops you, ask your case manager about a Medical Exemption Form.

You do not have to choose one program. SNAP works alongside Medicaid, WIC, and energy help, and the ASSIST application lets you apply for several at once. If food is short today, dial 2-1-1 for a local pantry while your application is reviewed.