If you're struggling to afford groceries, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can help. SNAP provides monthly benefits to help eligible older adults buy healthy food at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other approved retailers. Best of all, you don't have to navigate the application process alone—free help is available.

Yet millions of older adults who qualify for SNAP never enroll. In fact, more than half of eligible adults age 60 and older don't participate, missing out on benefits that can improve food security, support better health, and free up money for other essential expenses. The average SNAP benefit for a one-person older adult household is $188 per month, or about $2,259 per year.¹ For many people living on a fixed income, that support can make it easier to afford groceries while freeing up money for health care, prescription medications, and other daily expenses.

Here's where to get free help applying for SNAP and other benefits you may qualify for. Whether you have questions about eligibility, need help gathering documents, or want someone to walk you through the application, trained counselors and community organizations are available to help.

How to get help applying for SNAP

Many eligible older adults don't participate in SNAP because the application process can feel overwhelming or confusing. The good news is you don't have to navigate it alone. Free application assistance is available through several trusted organizations.

If you or someone you know needs help with the SNAP application, there are several ways to get it:

1. Contact your state’s SNAP agency and ask if they have a SNAP outreach program to help with your application process.
2. Call 211, a free, nationwide service that connects people in need with health and human services.
3. Contact an NCOA Benefits Enrollment Center. These are local community organizations that help older adults and people with disabilities find and enroll in all the benefits programs they qualify for, which often includes SNAP. NCOA supports 87 Benefits Enrollment Centers across 38 U.S. states. Find one near you today.
4. Use NCOA’s BenefitsCheckUp to check your eligibility for SNAP and other programs that can help you pay for housing, utilities, prescription drugs, health care, and more.

Why SNAP application assistance matters

Nearly 14 million adults age 60 and older experience hunger or are at risk of it.² Yet more than half of older adults who qualify for SNAP don't receive benefits that can help them afford groceries and free up money for health care, prescription medications, and other essential expenses.^3,4

Getting help with the application process can make it easier to access the support you're eligible for, avoid common mistakes, and take advantage of benefits that can help you afford healthy food and other everyday essentials.

Source

1. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. A Quick Guide to SNAP Eligibility and Benefits. Updated October 3, 2025. Found on the internet at https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/a-quick-guide-to-snap-eligibility-and-benefits

2. Meals on Wheels America. 2026 National Snapshot: The Escalating Issue of Senior Hunger and Isolation. January 2026. Found on the internet at https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/The-Issue-2026-National-Snapshot_Fact-Sheet_Jan2026.pdf

3. USDA. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - Key Statistics and Research. July 24, 2025. Found on the internet at https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research

4. USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. SNAP in Action Dashboard. August 11, 2025. Found on the internet at https://www.fna.usda.gov/data-research/data-visualization/snap/action