SNAP Outreach Toolkit for Schools

SNAP helps children and families.

SNAP provides monthly benefits that eligible families can use to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other locations.

Schools and SNAP

Increased SNAP participation among eligible students benefits schools by:

• Maximizing direct certification, which reduces the number of school meal applications to be processed and verified.
• Improving a school’s ability to adopt the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) to provide free school meals to all students.
• Increasing the percentage of students eligible for free meals, which increases federal reimbursement revenue and may enable schools to participate in other programs, like summer and afterschool meals.

Our SNAP Outreach Toolkit 

Schools work hard year-round to connect students with the nutrition they need—despite these efforts, some families are still struggling. As trusted members of the community, you can leverage your school’s communications channels to inform families about assistance available to relieve food insecurity and increase their health and wellbeing. These materials:

• Provide information about SNAP and its benefits
• Refer families to the online SNAP application – available on myBenefits.NY.Gov
• Connect families to their local Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP) Coordinator. NOEP Coordinators can tell families if they may be eligible for SNAP and help them apply. It’s free and confidential.