Social Services has several resources available for students who meet certain criteria that some may know nothing about.
Students who work 20 hours a week and meet income eligibility restrictions may receive a variable dollar amount of food stamps every month, according to N.C. Division of Social Services Director of Public Affairs Sharon Brown.
Dean Simpson, program manager for economic services for the N.C. Division of Social Services, said in addition to the 20-hour work requirement, students should make no more than $1,026 of gross income every month to receive food stamps.
According to Simpson, the maximum amount of money students can obtain from Social Services is $155 per month.
“The amount we offer is based on the individual’s income and how many bills they pay,” he said. “For example, if a student wasn’t paying [his or her] own rent or utilities bill, then the income limit would lower to $800 per month.”
Doug Watkins, a sophomore in business management, said the resources available seem promising.
“I’m ready to sign up today,” Watkins said. “You don’t figure out how much food you eat until mom’s not there to cook for you. I can never seem to get enough to eat.”
Food stamps, according to Simpson, can only be used to buy food items. They cannot be used to buy alcoholic beverages or personal hygiene items.
Students living on campus usually are not eligible for food stamps because of meal plans the University offers, Simpson said.
All N.C. State students are eligible to apply for food stamps in Wake County as long as it is their established residence, even if it’s temporary, according to Simpson.
Lillie Houston, a freshman in textiles, said she was unaware of this possibility.
“I had no idea that we had that resource available to us,” she said. “An extra $100 a month at the grocery store would really help out my bank account. Hopefully, I’ll be eligible despite my on-campus residence.”
For part-time students, the requirements are more stringent.
According to Simpson, part-time students must work at least 30 hours a week or be registered with CareerStart.
“CareerStart is a program which includes an assessment where the [part-time] student would be evaluated for skills and talents that Social Services uses to appropriately match that individual with a career,” Simpson said.
The University Work-Study Program, Simpson said, also evaluates students’ needs and course loads to determine eligibility.
“You would have to talk to your counselor [to get a better idea of eligibility],” he said.
Contemporary food stamps are called EBT cards and work just like prepaid spending credit cards, according to Simpson.
“Your benefits are automatically added every month,” he said.
