Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 67 - SOCIAL SERVICES › Part III - Economic Stability › Subpart 3 - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) › Chapter 19 - Certification of Eligible Households › Subchapter B - Application Processing › Section III-1917 - Homeless Meal Provider

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. A
homeless meal provider
is a public or private nonprofit
					 establishment, (e.g., soup kitchen, temporary shelter) approved by the
					 department, that feeds homeless SNAP households. To be eligible to accept SNAP
					 benefits, a meal provider must also be authorized by Food and Nutrition
					 Services (FNS) after the department approves it.
B. The provider must serve meals that include
					 food purchased by the establishment. A meal provider serving only meals which
					 consist wholly of donated foods is not eligible for authorization.
C. Only those SNAP households determined to
					 be homeless shall be permitted to use SNAP benefits to purchase prepared meals
					 served by authorized homeless meal providers. To ensure that the use of SNAP
					 benefits for prepared meals is restricted to homeless persons, homeless meal
					 providers shall establish that person's right to use SNAP benefits to purchase
					 meals.
D. Applicant meal providers
					 must apply for approval at the departmental office in their parish. An approval
					 review at the provider's establishment will be conducted by the regional agency
					 representative. After approval has been granted by the department, the provider
					 must then make application to an FNS field office to receive authorization to
					 accept SNAP benefits.
E. Homeless
					 meal providers may accept SNAP benefits as authorized retail redemption points
					 after authorization from the department and FNS. The provider will receive
					 settlement from the Federal Treasury as an electronic deposit directly to the
					 provider's account at a financial institution. Homeless meal providers that
					 redeem SNAP benefits in excess of $100 per month will be provided equipment
					 that will allow acceptance, redemption and settlement of program funds
					 electronically. Others may participate by using manual vouchers.
F. The use of SNAP benefits to purchase meals
					 from homeless meal providers is voluntary on the part of SNAP recipients. SNAP
					 recipients must continue to be given the option of using cash if payment for a
					 meal is required. In addition, if others have the option of eating free or
					 making a monetary donation, homeless SNAP recipients must be given the same
					 option (eat free, or donate money or SNAP benefits). The amount requested from
					 homeless SNAP recipients using SNAP benefits to purchase meals may not exceed
					 the average cost to the homeless meal provider of the food contained in a meal
					 served to the patrons of the meal provider. If a homeless recipient voluntarily
					 pays more than the average cost of food contained in a meal served, such
					 payment may be accepted by the meal provider.
G. Homeless meal providers will not be
					 permitted to serve as "authorized representative" for homeless SNAP
					 households.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
						Promulgated in accordance with F.R. 52:7554 et seq.,
						7 CFR
						273.2,
						P.L.
						110-246.