Page 133
133 (07/2026) Chapter 2:Eligibility • Section 2: Eligibility groups Individuals living in multiple household groups in one month When participants live in more than one household during a calendar month, the individual is in the household group that provides the individual with more than half of their 21 weekly meals. To determine who is credited with providing meals to a child, the home the child left from for school is credited with providing breakfast and lunch on that day. During the month in which a resident of a domestic violence shelter enters the shelter, the resident may be included both in the household group they left and in a household group in the shelter. Individuals gone for 30 days or more Individuals gone from the household for 30 days or more are no longer in the household. Homeless youth An individual under the age of 18 is considered a youth. Youth who may be considered homeless: • Are those who meet the definition of homeless • May be residing with an adult who is not their parent, and • Are not considered to be under the care, control and supervision of the adult. Care, control and supervision means that the adult is providing significant and sustained financial assistance. The adult may also function in a parental role by establishing rules and curfews and participating in schooling or health decisions. Information may be needed to determine financial dependence on the adult. Important considerations include: • Is the adult responsible for medical, dental and other health care needs? • Does the youth rely on the adult to pay for ongoing needs such as clothes, personal items or school fees? There is no minimum age requirement to apply for SNAP. Eligibility for homeless youth is the same as other homeless individuals. The following are some considerations to keep in mind: • Homeless youth commonly share housing with others in temporary, informal conditions. • Youth may often move between temporary living situations. Non-parental adults in these situations have no legal responsibility or authority to control the youth. • Verification requirements are the same for homeless youth as for other individuals. This includes accepting collateral contact to verify identity and helping the youth gather required verification, if needed. • The youth is not required to provide information or verification from their legal guardian or parent, if they are outside their household unless information points to a different situation. • Temporary living arrangement refers to an arrangement that will last less than 90 days.