Every year, the Coalition screens more than 7,000 residents for food stamps (SNAP).

Food stamps are the best line of defense against hunger in the United States. Since 2002, the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger has helped nearly 40,000 Philadelphia residents access this public program, which is now called SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).

More than 400,000 Philadelphia residents—one quarter of the city's population—now use SNAP. However, there are still more than 150,000 residents who qualify for these benefits but do not receive them.

To bridge that gap, the Coalition Against Hunger launched the SNAP Campaign in 2002. Every year, we screen more than 7,000 residents for SNAP benefits, which allows them to buy groceries for their families and frees up money to cover other needs, like rent, medicine and childcare.

In addition, SNAP is good for the economy: Every $5 in SNAP benefits generates $9 in economic activity, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

The SNAP Campaign reaches residents through:

• The Food Stamp Hotline (215-430-0556): Eligible Philadelphia residents can apply for SNAP benefits by phone. Hotline counselors are available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• In-Person Assistance: Since 2002, the Coalition has trained more than 450 volunteers to conduct SNAP screening and application assistance at Philadelphia health centers, CareerLink centers and other community sites. 
• Case Management: The Coalition advocates on behalf of Philadelphia residents who are wrongly denied SNAP benefits. With the cooperation of Philadelphia's County Assistance Offices, we resolve the majority of the 100-plus cases we handle each month.