College Students
More college students than ever are struggling with hunger. SNAP is a resource that can help. Students 18-49 who attend higher education at least half-time may be eligible for SNAP by meeting income guidelines and additional criteria.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in December 2020, Congress expanded SNAP eligibility for college students–allowing more students to qualify without meeting work requirements.
This eligibility expansion has ended at the federal level, but Oregon students who meet income guidelines may qualify for SNAP if they meet the following criteria below:
Income
Those who fall below Oregon’s income guidelines may be eligible for SNAP. Monthly amounts go up $787 for each additional person
Persons in Family
Annual
Monthly
Weekly
1
$27,180
$2,265
$522.69
2
$36,624
$3,052
$704.31
3
$46,068
$3,839
$885.92
*Students attending class less than half time and those age 50+ do not need to meet additional student criteria, only income, to qualify for SNAP.
New Student Criteria
Students who meet income guidelines may qualify for SNAP if they meet this new criteria
Students need to let Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) know what their intended job will be after completing their education. DHS wants to understand the link between a student’s education and employment.
During their interview with a DHS worker, a student will need to share the reason they are going to school and how it is related to a job they want after they complete their undergraduate education (four-year program or less – this includes undergraduate, associates, certificate or short-term training programs).
Students should share a specific job they would like to do after they complete their education.
- For example, if a student is studying social work, they should share they want to be a social worker.
- Jobs that require an advanced degree (more than four years of education), like lawyer or doctor, do not fit this criterion.
If a student meets this criteria, there are no work requirements for the student.
If a Student Does Not Meet the New Criteria, There Are Other Ways to Qualify
Though many more students in Oregon will qualify for SNAP under this criteria, some may not (such as graduate students). For these students, there are still other ways to qualify.
- Be awarded work study–a student does not need to have a position secured when they apply, but a student needs to intend to find a position in the coming school term.
- Paid employee or self employed working an average of 20 hours a week
- Unable to work due to physical or physiological difficulties
- Responsible for the care of a child (age requirements apply)
- Participating in aWorkforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) approved program. https://www.wioainoregon.org/eligible-training-providers.html
- Receiving TANF
- Receiving Unemployment Compensation
Other Factors Affecting Eligibility
-
- If a student’s meal plan pays for more than 51% of their meals per week than they are not eligible for SNAP. If the meal plan pays for less than half of a student’s meals per week, receiving a meal plan will not affect a student’s eligibility for SNAP.
- Students under the age of 22 who still live with their parents or guardians must apply with their parents.
- Financial aid received through the Veterans Administration or private scholarships count as income.
- Students on break from school must still meet the criteria for which they are eligible for SNAP (i.e. if you qualify by working 20 hours a week, you’d need to keep doing this over summer break).
Note: federal financial aid including Pell grants, Perkins loans, Stafford loans and most work-study is not counted as income against student eligibility. Students may defer federal student loan payments while receiving SNAP benefits without incurring interest charges.
Help Spread the Word about SNAP to Students
It is more critical than ever to share with Oregon students about SNAP since many students qualify but are not participating in the program. Use these resources to start SNAP outreach at your school to make sure students understand how to qualify and access food assistance.
College SNAP Outreach and Assistance Toolkit
Find resources to help spread the word about SNAP at your college in our toolkit. The toolkit includes outreach planning and strategies,
an application assistance guide, outreach and communication materials, and more resources to help you ensure that students have access to SNAP.
If you have questions that the Department of Human Services hasn't answered, please reach back out to us:
Contact us at 503-595-5501, [email protected]
Hunger in Oregon
A problem we cannot ignore
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we are still learning more about what hunger and poverty look like now. Early projections from September 2021 had predicted that hunger was much worse than the period before the pandemic, with an estimated 1 in 4 Oregonians experiencing hunger, which would have doubled hunger.
As of a report released in October 2021, we have seen that that expected jump did not happen exactly as planned and as we can tell now, the food security rate has remained largely flat from the pre-pandemic period, with around 1 in 10 Oregonians experiencing food insecurity, according to this report from OSU.
The steady rate of food insecurity during a pandemic is a credit to the swift social supports, in a time when the economic hardship was undeniable. In response to the pandemic, SNAP benefits were increased, unemployment benefits were expanded, stimulus checks put money in peoples’ pockets, evictions were reduced and importantly, mutual and community aid stepped in to help individuals and families safe and resourced.
So many different factors contribute to ending hunger and doing so requires meaningfully addressing housing, employment, childcare, racism, experiences of state violence and marginalization and so much more.
The current status of hunger in Oregon
Hunger is an equity issue
Hunger harms us all as a society, but it impacts some of us in Oregon far more than others.
Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon has long been committed to addressing economic inequality in order to accomplish our mission, and we point to poverty as one clear root cause of hunger. One in ten families in Oregon reports not consistently having the money to purchase enough nourishing food.
We know there are other root causes—even deeper and more complexly woven into the root structure of our society—like systemic racism and sexism.
Among those experiencing poverty some people are at far greater risk of hunger. Food insecurity disproportionately impacts communities of color, recent immigrants, families with children and particularly households led by single mothers, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ community and people in rural areas of Oregon.
We simply won’t achieve our vision of a hunger-free Oregon, where everyone is healthy and thriving, without specifically focusing on preventing hunger for these groups of people.
Ending hunger requires addressing root causes
In our pursuit of equity and justice, we reaffirm the founding declaration of the Oregon Hunger Task Force that “All Persons Have the Right to be Free from Hunger” and recommit to work on behalf of those disproportionately denied that right.
In developing our 2016-18 Strategic Plan, we heard from dozens of partners, volunteers and people (link to finding food security page) we serve about how to best increase food security over the next two years. The result is a clear set of objectives and a focus on three goals: pursuing equity, building the anti-hunger movement and strengthening the capacity of our organization.
There is a role for everyone!
Take action to end hunger by speaking up
ABAWDS
Who is an Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD)?
This is any person receiving SNAP benefits who:
- Is at least 18 but not yet 50 years of age
- Doesn’t have a child under the age of 18 receiving SNAP benefits with them
What are SNAP time limits?
Federal rules limit SNAP benefits to three months in a three-year period for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents. Due to the Federal Public Health Emergency related to the COVID Pandemic, this rule was suspended April 2020 through January 2023, but has since been reinstated.
Note: You are able to receive SNAP benefits for more than the three-month time limit if you meet the “work requirements,” or have an “exemption.”
What are the work requirements for ABAWDs?
An Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents can receive SNAP for longer than three months if they participate in verified work activities. These activities may include one of the following:
- Working, no less than 80 hours a month. This may be paid or unpaid (volunteering or bartering). If self-employed, earnings must be at least $1,160 per month including business costs or $580 without business costs.
- Participate in the Oregon Employment Department’s (OED) ABAWD program for no less than 80 hours a month completing the work-related activities listed on their OED ABAWD case plan.
- A combination of no less than 80 hours a month of working (paid or unpaid) and participating in work-related activities listed in their OED ABAWD case plan.
- Participating in Workfare at the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) rate.
Do all Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents have to do the work requirements?
No. They may choose not to participate in the OED ABAWD Program and simply receive three months of SNAP. In addition, they may have a reason which prevents them from working. We call these reasons “exemptions.” Below is a list of allowable exemptions for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents. If a person believes they meet an exemption, they need to let ODHS know as soon as possible. Only ODHS can determine if a person meets an exemption. The ODHS staff will let them know if verification is required.
Exemptions are grouped into a few categories:
The first category is exemptions that prevent the person from working and thus being able to meet the work requirements. In Oregon, a verbal statement is accepted for these:
- Unable to work due to mental, behavioral, or physical health issues. This is one of the most common reasons to exempt a person. It is meant to be broad. There are many ways to meet this exemption. Examples may include:
- A person receiving disability income or accident insurance payments.
- A person receiving wrap-around services. Wrap-around services are defined as a range of services provided by community agencies addressing a person’s needs which include medical or health issues preventing them from obtaining or maintaining employment.
- A doctor’s statement is not required. However, they may be asked follow-up questions to help make the determination.
- Enrolled in School at least half-time. This includes students attending:
- High School.
- College.
- Training Programs.
- Adult Basic Education, General Education Development, or English as a Second Language classes.
- Refugees engaged in Training Plans with a local Federal Refugee Resettlement Program.
- Participating in an Alcohol or Drug Treatment Program. This may be either an in-patient or out-patient program, it cannot solely be attending Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
- Responsible for caring for a person who requires assistance in caring for themself. It is not necessary for them to live together. This does not include people who are getting paid to provide care.
- A person is pregnant.
The second category of exemptions are considered equivalent to the work requirements. These work-related exemptions require verification and include the following:
- Working 30 hours a week or earning at least $935.25 a month
- Self-employed and earning at least $935.25 a month without business costs and $1870.50 with business costs
- Applied for or receiving Unemployment Benefits. This includes persons in the appeal process doing the federally required weekly activities
- Participating in a TANF JOBS plan
- You are working, volunteering or bartering (You will need to provide proof).
There is a third category of exemptions known as discretionary exemptions. Oregon may determine the criteria for these exemptions, and may expand these, at its discretion, to a limited number of people subject to the SNAP time limits. Due to the limited number of discretionary exemptions available, Oregon will apply them in the following counties. These counties were selected because they either have no local WorkSource centers, are considered extremely rural, or have limited access to employment services:
| Counties where discretionary exemptions will be applied when appropriate: | ||
| Wheeler | Lake | Crook |
| Gilliam | Harney | Curry |
| Sherman | Morrow | Union |
| Wallowa | Hood River | Wasco |
| Grant | Baker | Malheur |
| Jefferson | ||
A person is also exempt from the SNAP time limits if they live on the Tribal Lands of the Burns Paiute Tribe; Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw; Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians; Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation; Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation; Coquille Indian Tribe; or Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians.
If you think you might be exempt, contact ODHS as soon as possible. ODHS needs to approve your exemption.
- By phone at 833-947-1694
- Phone hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.
- Language interpreters available.
- By email at [email protected]
- Please include in your email:
- Your full name
- Your SNAP case number
- Your contact information and a good time to reach you.
- Please include in your email:
For more details, visit the SNAP Time Limits FAQ and contact your local ODHS Office (see list below) if you have any questions about your SNAP benefits.
2023 SNAP Time Limits Oregon Counties Map
Contact Your Local DHS Office:
- Benton County
541-757-5082 - Clackamas County
503-731-4777 - Clatsop County
503-325-2021 - Jackson County
541-858-3104 - Linn County
541-757-5050 - Marion County
503-373-7512 - Multnomah County
971-673-2422 or 971-673-2333 - Polk County
503-373-7512 - Tillamook County
503-842-4453 - Washington County
503-693-4769 - Yamhill County
503-373-7512
Local offices in Deschutes County:
- Bend
541-388-6010 - La Pine
541-536-5380 - Redmond
541-548-5547
Local offices in Lane County:
- Cottage Grove
541-942-9186 - Florence
541-997-8251 - McKenzie Center
541-686-7878 - Springfield
541-726-3525 - West Eugene
541-686-7722
SNAP Outreach Materials
PHFO Print Materials
Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon (PHFO) produces original materials for SNAP Outreach. They are available to print and download below.
SNAP IS FOR YOU POSTER
(11"x17")
English
Español
Korean
Tiếng Việt
Somali
русский
Trad. Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Swahili
Oromo
SNAP IS FOR YOU POSTER
(8.5"x11")
English
Español
Korean
Tiếng Việt
Somali
русский
Trad. Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Swahili
Oromo
SNAP FOR STUDENTS BOOKMARK
(2.5"x7")
English (Single)
English (Multi)
Español (Single)
Español (Multi)
COVID Materials
During the pandemic, PHFO is providing information on how SNAP and its requirements have changed.
SNAP IS FOR NOW FLYER
(8.5"x11")
English
Español
Arabic
Vietnamese
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Russian
Somali
SNAP ABAWD FLYER
(8.5"x11")
English
Español
Arabic
Vietnamese
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Russian
Somali
DHS Materials
Outreach brochures are available free of charge through Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). DHS brochures have been developed through a collaboration with Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon for your use. To order free, current materials, complete the Brochure Order Form below.
The Anti-Hunger Movement
Learn about our work to organize and advocate for food justice.
The Anti-Hunger Movement
Learn about our work to organize and advocate for food justice.
SNAP Online Training
Help spread the word about SNAP!
If you are someone who is hoping to help your community access food assistance and end hunger, you’re in the right place!
Our online training will prepare you to inform others about SNAP, help members of your community use benefits and make the program more accessible and effective in your area. This training covers the history and current role of SNAP, how the program works, and how you can expand the impact of its resources in your community. Each module is a powerpoint with accompanying audio. While they are designed to be taken in order, you may take them one-by-one and at the speed that best suits your needs.
Module One:
The Importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Module One gives an overview of the program, why it is importance to learn about the program and what SNAP provides for Oregon’s communities.
Module Two:
Basics of SNAP
Module Two presents the background of the SNAP program, how it originated and how it evolved over time, including eligibility criteria and how to apply for SNAP.
Module Three:
Using SNAP
Module Three explains how participants can use SNAP, outlining what can be purchased, where, how to recertify, and what to do if a participant’s EBT card is lost.
Module Four:
SNAP Outreach
Module Four focuses on ways to increase awareness of SNAP in your community, and reach people who may be eligible but are not currently participating.
Feedback
We would also love to hear your feedback on this training!
SNAP Outreach Materials
PHFO and DHS produce original materials for SNAP Outreach. They are available to print and download below.
School Meals
Good nutrition makes a difference
Hunger remains persistently high for Oregon kids.
According to a report on Food Insecurity in the Oregon more than 300,000 kids, or one in seven children (14.6 percent), in Oregon are food insecure.
We understand the physical, emotional, and cognitive impacts of a lack of adequate nutrition on kids. A skipped or partial breakfast or lunch may lead a child to feel frazzled and anxious during a third-grade reading exam. Over time, we know this child may fall behind a grade level, and ultimately might not graduate from high school due to a lack of essential nutrition and energy during their educational journey in school.
Access to healthy nutritious food for children exists through USDA Child Nutrition Programs at schools and many child care centers, including the School Breakfast Program (SBP), the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and the After School Meal and Snack Program (ASMSP).
We work with community partners, including the Oregon Department of Education, to publicize and expand participation in these nutrition programs through technical assistance, outreach and marketing materials, and programs designed to boost participation.
Who is eligible?
Visit the ODE Online Application to apply for free school meals
Any student is welcome to enjoy meals at their school. Whether a family pays or is eligible for free meals, the food served at school meets nutrition guidelines that helps all children and teens grow and learn.
Based on Family Income
Children whose families have income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level can get free meals at public schools. At private schools, the family income must be below 185% to get free or reduced price meals.
Homeless or Foster Care, Runaway or Migrant
If the members of your household lack a permanent address or are staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement, or if your family relocates on a seasonal basis, then your children likely qualify for free meals. If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please call your school.
Receive SNAP, TANF, or Food Distribution on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) benefits
If a family receives any benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), the children will qualify for free school meals.
Who can run School Nutrition Programs?
All Public and private non-profit schools (high school and under), and Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCI) can participate. For each breakfast, lunch or snack that is served and is consistent with USDA nutrition standards, the school or RCCI receives reimbursement from the federal government and in many cases additional financial support from the state of Oregon through the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), which monitors implementation.
School Breakfast Program
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) provides federal reimbursements to providers who operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions.
Benefits to children, families, and schools
1. More children start the day with breakfast
Students get a nutritionally balanced start to their day so they can do well mentally, physically, and socially.
2. Greater cognition and health
Students are less likely to struggle academically or have health issues.
3. Increased access
Families face challenges to providing breakfast for their kids, including tight food budgets or early-morning work, carpool, or bus schedules; the SBP provides a healthy option available for their kids.
4. Greater participation in learning
Studies suggest that students who eat breakfast increase their math and reading scores, do better on standardized tests, and improve both their speed and memory in cognitive tests. It has also been shown to positively impact absenteeism, tardiness, nurse visits, and behavioral incidents.
5. Strong child nutrition programs
School food nutrition departments benefit financially when they are able to reach more children in need with school breakfast; increased participation helps create economies of scale, and options such as Provision 2 and Community Eligibility Provision help yield federal reimbursement dollars to support strong programs.
Model Programs
Schools across the country have found that substantially more children eat breakfast when it is served after the bell and free of charge for all students, when viable. By offering breakfast as part of the school day, schools can eliminate barriers such as bus schedules and stigma that get in the way of students eating this important meal. Many organizations have created tools to help teachers, schools and advocates promote school breakfast.
Additional Resources
Oregon Department of Education’s Breakfast in the Classroom Manual
Share Our Strength’s Center for Best Practices
Food Research and Action Center’s research and tools on school breakfast
National School Lunch Program
The National School Lunch Program has been serving children nationwide since Congress passed the 1946 National School Lunch Act in response to widespread childhood malnutrition. The program aims to provide nutritious food to school aged children and support food prices by channeling farm surpluses into the school food system. The program is administered at the Federal level by USDA and at the State level by the Oregon Department of Education.
Highlights:
- Federal entitlement program providing schools cash subsidies for low-cost, healthy meals
- Meals must meet federal nutrition guidelines
- Funds may be used to cover food, administration and staffing costs
- Participating schools also can receive donated commodity food from the USDA
Benefits to Students:
- Access to a balanced, nutritious lunch that includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables and milk
- Improved academic performance, concentration and fewer behavioral problems
- Participation in the program can assist in developing good eating habits
Benefits to Schools and Programs:
- Cash reimbursements to schools
- Wellness policies to help schools address obesity problems and promote physical activity
After School Meal and Snack Program
The federal After School Meal and Snack Program (ASMSP) provides reimbursement to qualifying after school enrichment programs that serve free meals or snacks to their children.
ASMSP is an extension of the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and is sometimes referred to as the “At-Risk” or “Supper” program. All meals and snacks are served free of charge to youth in participating after school enrichment programs.
Benefits to Kids
Strong Bodies: Improve the health and well being of the children you serve. The snacks and meals are nutritionally-balanced and allow kids to get the most from your enrichment program
Strong Minds: By the time children come to your programs it may have been 3-4 hours since their last meal, making it difficult to concentrate or learn. This program ensures that students continue to thrive even after the school bell rings.
Strong Communities: After school programs provide a safe, supervised environment during a time when many youth would otherwise be home alone, or on the street.
Benefits to After School Programs
Strengthens and Preserves Programming:
Providing meals and snacks can be expensive, leaving program managers with a difficult choice between feeding kids and providing enriching activities. ASMSP can help you do both, saving thousands of dollars on meals and snacks that can fund program activities.
Funding Diversity:
The meal program is a great tool to use for approaching future funders. Incorporating this as part of your fundraising budget shows potential funders your willingness to leverage all available resources in your community. It also demonstrates a commitment to your children’s overall health and wellness.
Eligibility Requirements
The site must be located within a school attendance boundary where at least 50% of the children are eligible for Free and Reduced (F/R) lunches.
Schools, churches, apartment complexes, community centers, boys and girls clubs, tribal agencies and other organizational locations are examples of appropriate sites.