WAC 388-412-0015 General information about your food assistance allotments.

1.    Your monthly allotment under the Washington Basic Food program, food assistance program for legal immigrants (FAP), Washington combined application project (WASHCAP), or the transitional food assistance (TFA) programs is the total dollar value of benefits your assistance unit (AU) receives for a calendar month.

2.    How we determine monthly allotments:

a.    We calculate your monthly allotment as described under WAC 388-450-0162  if your AU has income;

b.    If your AU does not have countable income you receive the maximum allotment for the number of eligible people in your AU under WAC 388-478-0060.

3.    Prorated benefits in the first month ‑ If we determine you    are eligible for food assistance, your first month's benefits are calculated from the date you applied through the end of the month of your application. This is called proration and is based on a thirty‑day month:

a.    If your prorated benefits for the first month are under   ten dollars, you will not receive an allotment for the first month.

b.    If there was a delay in processing your application, we determine when your benefits start under WAC 388-406-0055.

4.    Combined allotment for first and second month's benefits -     If you apply for benefits on or after the sixteenth of the month, and we determine you are eligible for food assistance, we issue both the first and second months benefits in one allotment if you are eligible for both months.

5.    Minimum allotment - If your AU has one or two members, your monthly allotment will be at least sixteen dollars unless:

a.    It is the first month of your certification period;

b.    Your AU is eligible for only a partial month; and

c.    We reduced your first month's allotment below sixteen dollars based on the date you became eligible for food assistance under WAC 388-406-0055.

6.    Use of food assistance benefits - Your food assistance benefits may only be used to buy eligible food items as described under WAC 388-412-0046. If you use your benefits in any other way, it is an intentional program violation under WAC 388-446-0015  and could result in fines, imprisonment, disqualification from receiving food assistance benefits, or any combination of these penalties.