Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
10/24/2025 ALERT: President Trump is currently choosing not to issue November SNAP benefits that help you and many families put food on the table. People in need of immediate food assistance should call the FoodSource Hotline at (800) 645-8333.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, provides monthly funds to spend on groceries using a debit-like card. A family of three can receive up to $766 to spend on groceries each month.
SNAP benefits are based on income and household size. A family of three qualifies for SNAP if the family makes $4,303 or less per month, before taxes.
You can apply for SNAP online at DTAconnect and through the free DTA Connect app.
Or, you can apply in person, or by phone at 877-382-2363 (ext. 7).
When you apply, you’ll need documents to verify your identity, like a social security number, driver’s license, or birth certificate. You’ll need to show proof of Massachusetts residency and household income.
You don’t need to be a U.S. citizen to use SNAP — some legal permanent residents, refugees, and asylees may qualify. Applying for yourself or an eligible family member won’t affect your immigration status. If you aren’t a U.S. citizen and you are applying to receive benefits for yourself, you will need a document showing your immigration status.
Many grocery, convenience, and drug stores in Bristol and Plymouth Counties accept EBT cards, the payment method for SNAP benefits. (EBT stands for electronic benefit transfer.) You can find participating stores using the USDA SNAP retailer locator.
Farmers Markets:
SNAP households can get up to $80 in free fruits and vegetables from certain farm vendors each month. The Healthy Incentives Program puts money back on your EBT card when you use it to buy produce from participating farmers markets, farm stands, mobile markets, and farm share programs.
The state’s map of participating vendors shows many in the area. Check The Light’s Civic Life calendar for market schedules and locations.
Food Pantries and Meal Sites:
Use the Greater Boston Food Bank website to search for food pantries near you.
Before you go to a food pantry, call ahead to make sure you can meet their requirements. Some pantries require photo ID, proof of residency, proof of income, or other documentation. Some limit the number of trips you can make per month.
You can find a list of food pantries and sites serving hot meals on the New Bedford Homeless Service Providers Network Street Sheet.
Meals for Children and Teens:
Many programs help families feed their children during the summer when school isn’t in session.
Free meals for kids are offered at dozens of sites across the city this summer. There are no eligibility requirements.
Check The Light’s Civic Life calendar for locations and schedules, or check Project Bread’s meal site map.
A new state program that launched in 2024, Summer EBT, provides a one-time payment for eligible families with students to buy groceries in the summer.
Most families that are eligible for Summer EBT don’t need to apply and will automatically receive the benefits. If you’re not automatically enrolled and meet certain income limits, you can apply on DTAconnect.
Each eligible student receives a one-time payment of $120 on an EBT card that can be spent on groceries anywhere SNAP is accepted. The benefits started going out on July 25. Families that already have an EBT card receive the benefits on that card. Eligible families without an EBT card are sent one in the mail. The benefits expire after 122 days.
Meals for Seniors:
Coastline Elderly Services serves lunch for seniors at several sites on the South Coast and runs a Meals on Wheels program serving home-delivered lunch on weekdays.
Meal sites and phone numbers are listed on the Coastline website. There are no eligibility requirements. To attend, call the site the day before to make a reservation.
Some seniors are eligible for home-delivered meals. To check your eligibility and sign up, call Coastline at 508-999-6400.
For up-to-date information on Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), The Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program, The Pandemic‑Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) Program, Meals on Wheels or the City of Boston Office of Food Justice, please visit mass.gov/topics/food-assistance.
Project Bread
Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline provides free, expert assistance with finding food resources, understanding SNAP eligibility and providing application assistance in 180 languages.
211HELPSteps
Mass211’s online platform allows individuals to search and then connect to local health and human service resources, such as food security, housing, childcare, transportation, and mental and emotional health resources across Massachusetts from their desktop or mobile device.
GBFB Membership
Food pantries, mobile markets, and meal programs looking for food resources to support their operations can learn about our criteria for membership and our membership application process on our Membership page.
More Resources
- The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
- The Citizens Energy Oil Heat Program
- National Hunger Clearinghouse Resource Directory
- Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists
- The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts – serving Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties
- Worcester County Food Bank – serving Worcester County
- Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Inc. – serving select communities in Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire