SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) assists individuals and families who are unable to purchase sufficient food for themselves. For information about eligibility and to apply on-line, visit Common Help.  You may also visit our office at 4850 Mark Center Dr., Alexandria, VA 22311 to request an application or call 703.746.5902 and we will mail one to you the same day.  We encourage you to file an application the same day that you contact the agency. You may return the application in person to the address above, through an authorized representative who submits the application for you, by fax at 703.746.3424 or by mail at the address above.  You may also file an application through the State Department of Social Services Call Center at 1.855.635.4370.  The Social Services fax for submitting documentation is 703.746.5985.  Please include a case number and/or case worker name. 

Different eligibility rules apply to SNAP and other programs, so you should apply even if you have not been found eligible for other benefits. 

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, many individuals receiving SNAP food assistance received temporary increased food benefits. February 2023 will be the last payment of the emergency food benefits, and as a result, in March 2023 approximately 3,845 Alexandria households will see their SNAP benefits decrease. If a beneficiary’s income or number of household members has changed, they should email DCHSPublicBenefits@alexandriava.gov.  See the full news release.

Correspondence from the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) to SNAP Households:

You are receiving this communication because someone at this address receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 law recently passed by Congress ends emergency allotments after the February 2023 issuance. The last issuance of these additional benefits will automatically load to your Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card on Thursday, February 16. As a result, your household will return to receiving your regular SNAP benefit amount on the 1st, 4th, or 7th day of the month, as normal, beginning March 2023. For more information, please visit www.dss.virginia.gov/benefit/snap.cgi. Or you may contact our temporary information line at 1-855-635-4370, Monday - Friday from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. beginning Monday, January 30, 2023.

VDSS Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Applying for or receiving SNAP does not make you a public charge and will not be considered in a public charge determination. Applying for or receiving SNAP will not affect your ability to: 

• Remain in the United States
• Get a Green Card/Permanent Legal Resident Status
• Keep a Green Card/Permanent Legal Resident Status
• Become a U.S. Citizen  

You can also apply for SNAP on behalf of the eligible immigrants or U.S. citizens in your family, even if you do not want to apply for benefits for yourself, without affecting your or their immigration status. For example, if a parent is not eligible for SNAP because of their immigration status, they can still apply for their eligible children. The SNAP office is not allowed to ask for immigration documents for people who are not applying to receive benefits themselves.

If you need food help, and you or members of your household qualify, please apply for SNAP for yourself or your family. Do it for your family's good!

For more information relating to general immigration information in English or in Spanish, please call USCIS at 1-800-375-5283. For general information about SNAP, please call 1-800-221-5689 (English only) or 202-720-2791 (English and Spanish) to be connected to your state's SNAP hotline.

Program recipients with a lost, stolen or damaged card can call the toll-free Customer Service Help-Line at 1.866.2812448.  A new card will be mailed on the next business day.

Tracking the Balance on a Cardinal Card Account:

• Keep store receipts that show the EBT balance in the Cardinal Card Receipt Saver. Check the receipt from the last purchase; it shows the available balance.
• Call the toll-free Customer Service Help-Line at 1.866.281.2448.
• Look for a Point-of-Sale machine located at the customer service counter at some stores.  This allows you to check balances before entering the check-out lane.

Learn how SNAP beneficiaries can stretch their food dollars and access healthy, locally grown food at the Old Town Farmers' Market through the Double Dollar Program. Through this incentive program, SNAP recipients who visit the Old Town, Old Town North and Southern Towers farmer’s markets and other participating markets receive up to $20 in matching dollars to purchase eligible food products at the market. 

For more information, call the Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services at 703.746.5902.

SNAP Card Information

Program recipients with a lost, stolen or damaged card can call the toll-free Customer Service Help-Line at 1.866.2812448.  A new card will be mailed on the next business day.

Tracking the Balance on a Cardinal Card Account:

• Keep store receipts that show the EBT balance in the Cardinal Card Receipt Saver. Check the receipt from the last purchase; it shows the available balance.
• Call the toll-free Customer Service Help-Line at 1.866.281.2448.
• Look for a Point-of-Sale machine located at the customer service counter at some stores.  This allows you to check balances before entering the check-out lane.

Income Eligibility

What is counted as income when applying for SNAP?  Total income, before taxes or any other subtractions, is the gross income. However, certain subtractions to gross income, called deductions, are allowed. These can be for things like housing costs, child support payments, monthly medical expenses over $35 for older adults or people with disabilities, or child-care costs. The amount left over after these deductions is the net income. There are two income limits: gross income and net income. Most households must meet both income limits. If a household has a person who is 60 or older or who has a disability, only the net income limit must be met. If everyone in the household receives SSI or TANF,  no income limit must be met. The maximum income limit to qualify for SNAP (Food Stamps) is 130 percent of the federal poverty level. 

Examples of income counted are:

• Gross income from employment
• Child support payments
• Unemployment compensation
• Workers compensation
• Public assistance payments
• Pensions
• Veterans benefits
• Alimony
• Dividends
• Interest and similar payments
• Retirement or disability benefits
• Old age, survivor’s or strike benefits
• Scholarships and educational grants
• Fellowships and veterans’ educational benefits