State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling in New Jersey. Trained counselors go through your costs and choices with you, and they don't sell plans.
Food
NJ SNAP for seniors in New Jersey
NJ SNAP puts a monthly amount on a Families First EBT card to help you buy groceries.
New Jersey adds its own money so every household that qualifies gets at least $95 a month, and approval for people 60 and older lasts 24 months.
How to apply in New Jersey
- By phone
- 1-800-792-9773
- In person
- Apply at your County Social Service Agency. You can bring a completed paper application, and a friend or family member can apply for you as your authorized representative.
- By mail
- Download the paper application and mail or fax it to your County Social Service Agency.
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify in New Jersey
| Savings limit, household with someone 60+ or disabled, gross income at or under 185% of poverty | No limit |
|---|---|
| Savings limit if gross income is over 185% of poverty (Oct. 2026 to Sept. 2027) | $4,750 |
| Gross income limit for the no-savings-test rule (broad-based categorical eligibility) | 185% of the poverty level |
What you may get
| State minimum monthly benefit, any household that qualifies | $95 a month |
|---|
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| How long approval lasts, people 60+ or with a disability | 24 months |
|---|
How New Jersey is different
Where New Jersey's rules differ from the federal rules for SNAP for seniors.
- New Jersey adds a state payment so every household that qualifies gets at least $95 a month
Good to know
- New Jersey says adults 18 to 64 who are fit for work and don't live with a child under 14 may get SNAP for only three months in three years unless they work or train 80 hours a month, with some exceptions.
- For applications made on or after April 10, 2026, New Jersey follows the new federal rule: refugees, asylees and some other lawfully present immigrants can no longer get SNAP. Green card holders may still qualify.
Free help
Free help with this in New Jersey
Division of Aging Services (DoAS)
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in New Jersey
SNAP food benefits in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- New Jersey Department of Human Services, NJ SNAP: Ways to Apply (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- New Jersey Department of Human Services, NJ SNAP: Who is Eligible for SNAP? (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- New Jersey Department of Human Services, Federal Changes to SNAP (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility chart (June 2026) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, SNAP Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Information: FY 2027 standards (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
Was this page helpful?
Report an error on this page
Newsletter
Get an email when the rules change
Benefit figures, deadlines and rules change every year. We'll tell you what changed and what to check, about twice a month.
- Free, about twice a month
- One-click unsubscribe in every email
- We never sell or share your email