Frequently Asked Questions

Our goal is to make sure no family in our community goes without food during this uncertain time. We plan to purchase Kroger gift cards in the amount of each family’s SNAP benefits. As benefits lapse, we’ll provide these gift cards directly to families.

SNAP benefits are released at different times throughout the month, depending on the first letter of a family’s last name. For example, families with last names beginning with A/ B receive benefits on November 5th, C/D on November 7th, and E–G on November 9th, and so on.

We will be giving out our gift cards on the same roll out schedules our families typically follow. This will keep consistency for them and allow us to only give to families who actually experience a gap in benefits since it is unknown when they will resume again. We will wait to purchase the gift cards until the day we plan to give them out so the funds are used as needed.

Because this situation is changing so quickly, we won’t know exactly how many families will need help until the weeks unfold. Our focus is simply to stay ready and respond with care when families need us most.

We’ll start by serving our Like a Lion families who currently qualify for SNAP benefits. Not all of our families receive these benefits, so will only be giving gift cards to those that do and are affected by the lapse. 

If we’re able to raise additional funds, we’ll extend help to former Like a Lion families and families connected to our program who have lost their SNAP benefits. As we mentioned earlier, our zip code has the HIGHEST number of households receiving SNAP benefits in the city. Our hope is to reach as many people as possible during this time and make sure our community feels supported.

We have collected a statement of benefits from each of our families who receive SNAP assistance. This allows us to see the exact amount they receive each month and their individual rollout dates. Our goal is to match each family’s regular SNAP benefit amount through Kroger gift cards, ensuring they receive the same level of support they were counting on.

Each family will receive a different amount, based on what they are already approved for, so the help they receive from us will directly coincide with what they’ve temporarily lost.

We want families to be able to choose the food that’s right for them. Gift cards give families dignity, flexibility, and the chance to shop for what they actually need, while also helping to reduce food waste.

As a mom, I try to put myself in the shoes of another mother who fears losing the benefits that help feed her children. While I would be so grateful for a food bag or a hot meal from a center, I imagine what a gift it would be to walk into a store and choose fresh fruits, vegetables, and the meals my family is used to eating. That simple act of choice brings back a sense of normalcy, peace, and control when everything else feels uncertain.

If SNAP benefits start up again and we have funds left over, we’ll refund you the portion that hasn’t been used.

For example, if we raise $5,000 and only spend $2,000 on gift cards before benefits resume, that means 40% of the funds were used. We’ll refund the remaining 60% to donors. So if you donated $100, you would receive a refund for $60. Every dollar given will go directly toward helping families supplement their SNAP benefits.

We’ll also purchase the gift cards on the same day we send them out so funds are used responsibly and nothing goes to waste as we know things can change quickly if the government reopens.

Once a family receives their gift card from us, we will not ask for it back, even if the government later restores benefits. Our goal is to help families through the immediate gap, not add another layer of stress or confusion.

Pulled directly from IN.gov SNAP page: 

To qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, applicants must meet certain non-financial and financial requirements. Non-financial requirements include state residency, citizenship/alien status, work registration and cooperation with IMPACT, a job training program. Financial criteria include income and asset limits.

The asset/resource limits are $5,000 for most households. Assets include bank accounts, cash, real estate, personal property, vehicles, etc. The household's home and surrounding lot, household goods and personal belongings and life insurance policies are not counted as assets in the SNAP program.

All households (except those with elderly or disabled members) must pass a gross income test (130% of poverty) to qualify for SNAP benefits. The gross income is per household size and based on the gross monthly income received by all household members

Each month, families who qualify for SNAP receive a set amount on their Hoosier Works EBT card. This card can be used to buy groceries, as well as seeds and plants that grow food. The amount each family receives depends on their income and household size.