Food Assistance

Licking County Job & Family Services determines eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps. SNAP provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency. Food assistance benefits enhance food purchasing power to alleviate hunger, provide a more nutritious diet, and to improve food security for low-income families. Eligible participants receive an Ohio Direction card, which is an electronic debit card loaded with monthly food assistance benefits. These benefits can be used at participating grocery stores. The Ohio Direction card system provides a safe, easy way for eligible families and individuals to access their food assistance benefits to purchase quality, nutritious food.

Food Assistance benefits cannot be used to buy: alcoholic beverages, tobacco, cigarettes, vitamins, medicine, pet foods, paper products, household supplies, or any other non-food items.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility is based on family income, family size, shelter costs, and other eligibility criteria.

How to Apply

Apply online anytime, or call 1-844-640-6446, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., or apply in person at 74 S. 2nd Street, Newark, during business hours Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Ohio Direction Card

Food assistance account balance and transaction history can be viewed online at Ohio’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT). If your Ohio Direction card has been lost or stolen, someone has learned your pin number, or there has been an inaccurate transaction made to your account, call customer service immediately at 1-866-386-3071.

Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English.  Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (833) 620-1071, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to:

1. mail:
   Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
   1320 Braddock Place, Room 334
   Alexandria, VA 22314; or

2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3. email:
   FNSCIVILRIGHTSCOMPLAINTS@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.