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House Research home > Minnesota Government in Brief > Government Functions and Services: Family Assistance

Food Support (FS)

• Federal USDA program providing food purchasing assistance to low-income households; there is also a Minnesota Food Assistance Program for certain persons not eligible for the federal program
• Eligible households must be citizens or qualified noncitizens; have assets and gross income below specified limits; and have net monthly income at or below the federal poverty guidelines
• Most able-bodied adults must meet work requirements
• Federal government sets benefit levels. Benefits are provided in electronic debit card (EBT) format, eliminating the traditional paper Food Stamp coupons
• In fiscal year 2009, an average of 147,771 Minnesota households received Food Support benefits each month. These benefits were worth a total of $413.0 million for the fiscal year.

Related links:

• House Research publication Minnesota Family Assistance Guide (PDF)
• Legislative Reference Library Links to the World: Welfare

Originally published January 2011. The fiscal year 2011 projections are from the Department of Human Services, November 2010 forecasts of family self-sufficiency and medical programs. Other data are from DHS, MDE, MHFA, and other sources.