Westchester County Department of Social Services

In most cases, once you submit your application, our office will process it and send you a notice telling you whether or not you are eligible for benefits within 30 days.

During the 30 days, you may need to complete an eligibility interview and give proof of the information you provided. 

To process your application, the following documentation is REQUIRED:

• Identity for all individuals in your SNAP household
• Address, if you have one
• Household composition
• Age of all individuals in your SNAP household
• Social security number of all individuals in your household
• Citizenship of all individuals in your household
• Earned income (ALL gross income for the 4 weeks prior to your application date) for all household members
• Unearned income of all individuals in your household
• Resources if over age 60

Documentation of the following is OPTIONAL but may increase your SNAP benefits:

• Rental/shelter expense
• Medical bills if over age 60/disabled
• Other expenses (such as dependent care expenses)

After filing an application, the Department of Social Services may contact you to schedule a required eligibility interview. 

Failure to submit required documents may result in the denial of your application.

If you are 60 years old or older, or you have a disability, and you have no household earned income you may be eligible to participate in the SNAP Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP).

ESAP is intended to simplify the SNAP application, recertification and verification processes for eligible households, where all adult members are seniors and/or disabled.

Call DSS at (914) 995-3333 or visit one of our District Offices to find out if you are eligible to use the simplified application. 

If you are age 16 – 59 years old and able to work, you will probably need to meet the general work requirements to get SNAP benefits.

The general work requirements include:

• Registering for work
• Participating in SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) or workfare if assigned
• Taking a suitable job if it is offered
• Not voluntarily quitting a job or reducing your work hours below 30 a week without a good reason.

If you are age 18–49, able to work, and don’t have any dependents, you may need to meet both the general work requirements and other specific work requirement for Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) in order to get SNAP for more than 3 months in 3 years (the time limit).

For more information about these requirements, exceptions that may excuse you from having to meet these requirements, and what happens if you are receiving SNAP but stop meeting these requirements please visit the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service website.

For more help, and to see our Temporary Assistance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Employment plan please visit our Office of Employment Services on the web, or call DSS at (914) 995-3333 or visit one of our District Offices. 

Check Balance
You can check your EBT balance by visiting www.ebtEDGE.com or by downloading the ebtEDGE App available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

You can also check your balance by calling, toll free, (888) 328-6399. The hotline is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Korean, and Russian, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

First Mobile App and Website Users and Prior ConnectEBT Users
If you were using the old ConnectEBT.com system to manage your EBT account, you will have to create a new registration with ebtEDGE following the steps below.

You must register your EBT Card account and select your User ID and password by using either the ebtEDGE app or at www.ebtEDGE.com for access. Registering on either one also registers you on the other. Have your EBT Card handy when registering.

If you already have your www.ebtEDGE.com User ID and password, you're ready to use the same ID and password for the ebtEDGE App.

For more information see the ebtEDGE Cardholder Portal and Mobile Application User Guide.

Lost, Stolen or Damaged EBT Card
If your EBT card is damaged, lost or stolen, you must contact EBT Customer Service to report the issue with your card and have it deactivated so that no one else can use it.

You can report the issue with your card online or by phone.

• Online: Visit the ebtEDGE website or use the ebtEDGE mobile app which can be downloaded for free on your mobile device through the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
• By phone: Call the toll-free hotline at (888) 328-6399

EBT Card Freeze
Use the new freeze/unfreeze card feature to help you secure your EBT card and protect your benefits from scam-related theft through the ebtEDGE mobile app.

You can freeze your EBT card when it is not in use and then unfreeze the card to make a purchase. Freezing your card is easy. Follow these four simple steps:

1. Open www.ebtEDGE.com or download the ebtEDGE app on your mobile device (available on the: Google Play Store and Apple App Store).
2. Securely log in to your account.
3. Tap the new “Freeze/Unfreeze Card” icon on the home screen.
4. Select “Freeze My Card Everywhere” and click “OK.”