SNAP Restaurant Meals Program
For the Homeless, Elderly, and Disabled
The Rhode Island Department of Human Services approved regulations that allow homeless households and some elderly and disabled households to use SNAP benefits to buy prepared restaurant meals.
CLIENT BENEFITS
Homeless households and some elderly and disabled households can use their SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to purchase meals at approved restaurants.
You will continue to receive monthly benefits. This program will not affect your benefits in any way, other than providing an additional way of utilizing benefits.
ELIGIBILITY
This program is available to you, if your SNAP household meets one of the following criteria:
- Homeless: the household must lack a fixed and regular nighttime residence or be living in a shelter, halfway house, or a place not designed for sleeping. This includes those who are temporarily staying in the home of another person (90 days or less).
- Elderly: the household must have only members who are 60 or older, or an elderly individual and his or her spouse.
- Disabled: the household must have only members who are designated disabled by a government entity, or a disabled individual and his or her spouse.
- Elderly or Disabled: the household must have only members who are age 60 or older or designated as disabled by a government entity, or an elderly or disabled individual and his or her spouse.
PROCESS
Several Subway Restaurants in the Providence area have been approved by the Food and Nutrition Service (USDA) to participate in the Restaurant Meals Program, including the following locations:
- 255 Weybossett Street, Providence
- 2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence
- 719 Westminster Street, Providence
- 583 Elmwood Avenue, Providence
- 962 Cranston Street, Cranston
Participating restaurants will have signage that states “Participating Restaurant: SNAP Restaurant Meals Program” with the “Fork & Knife” logo displayed on the door or window. You will be able to use your EBT card, which will be run through a Point of Sale device, similar to use of EBT at a grocery store.
For more information, contact the URI SNAP Outreach Project:
1-866-306-0270