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WORK EXPERIENCE COMPONENT: WORK ACTIVITY Description of the component. Provide a summary of the activities and services. Community Service is a structured program in which participants perform unpaid work for the direct benefit of the community under the auspices of public or nonprofit organizations. Community Service placements must be projects that serve a useful community purpose in fields such as health, social services, environmental protection, education, urban and rural redevelopment, welfare, recreation, public facilities, public safety, and childcare. Community Service programs are designed to improve the employability of participants not otherwise able to obtain unsubsidized employment. The maximum number of hours of community service assigned each month is determined by dividing the sum of the household’s TA (if applicable) and SNAP benefits by the higher of the federal or State minimum wage. This is a calculation of the number of allowable hours and does not mean that the individual is receiving a wage for the performance of such activities. SNAP recipients do not need to be assigned to community service by districts in order to participate in community service and may identify, arrange, and commence their own placement. However, participation in a voluntary self-initiated community service activity must be evaluated by the district to determine that such participation provides workplace experience and is expected to improve the employability of the participant. This evaluation would be based upon a review by the district of the tasks involved with the placement and the extent to which those tasks and routine attendance can reasonably be expected to improve the participant’s employability. In instances where the district determines that these conditions are not met, a participant could choose to no longer participate in such activity without penalty but may then be subject to an alternate assignment by the district. Court-ordered community service is also allowable. 1/29/26, 9:29 AM State Plan NY FY26 - Original Submission https://dam-fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/microsite/snapet-nyfy26stateplan//index.html 101/312