Food and Nutrition Services
Providing healthy food options to families and individuals who need it.
Food and Nutrition Services, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is the North Carolina program that provides assistance to households with limited income and resources. Limits vary, depending on the number and ages of residents in the home. The benefit amount is based on the income available to the household members who buy and cook their food together. Benefits cannot be used to purchase items such as detergents, paper products, tobacco products, or alcoholic beverages.
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT)
EBT is the method North Carolina uses to issue Food and Nutrition Services benefits. The FNS benefits are placed in an EBT or E-Funds account each month. FNS recipient households use a plastic magnetic stripe card, much like a credit or debit card, to buy food at USDA authorized grocery stores. Once a FNS application is processed, the head of household is sent an EBT card.
Double-Up Bucks
Double-up Bucks helps you bring home affordable, healthy food by matching your SNAP dollars spent at participating farmers markets. SNAP users get tokens in place of cash for purchases at farmers markets. SNAP users do not need to enroll for Double Bucks – just bring your EBT card to participating markets.
Do you need milk and food for yourself and your small child?
The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program is managed by Public Health. For details on how low-income women, infants, & children up to age 5 can receive benefits, visit WIC resources under Public Health.
Apply Online for FNS with ePass
ePASS provides a secure, web-based, self-service website for North Carolinians to both apply for and manage Food and Nutrition Services benefits.
Programs require additional evaluation for eligibility. If approved, you will receive notification of start and end dates for your benefits.