SNAP and food help for older adults in South Dakota

Senior food packages (CSFP)

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) gives low-income older adults a package of USDA foods. In South Dakota, the Department of Education's Child and Adult Nutrition Services runs the program at the state level. Feeding South Dakota is the local agency that decides who qualifies and hands out the packages.

Who qualifies

• You are 60 or older.
• Your household income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines.

For 2026, the federal poverty guideline for one person is $15,960 a year, so the CSFP limit is about one and a half times that.

What you get

A package of nutritious USDA foods. The packages help stretch your grocery budget, but they do not provide a complete diet.

How to apply

1. Contact Feeding South Dakota, the local agency, at the office nearest you:
   • Sioux Falls: 4701 N Westport Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57107. Phone 605-335-0364.
   • Rapid City: 1111 N Creek Dr., Rapid City, SD. Phone 605-348-2689.
   • Pierre: 20562 Grace Ave, Pierre, SD 57501.
2. Tell them your age and household income. The local agency checks whether you qualify.
3. Ask where and when packages are handed out near you.

State program questions: SD Department of Education, Child and Adult Nutrition Services, 605-773-3413.

SNAP rules for people 60 and over

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) puts money on an EBT card to buy groceries. DSS runs it. If someone in your home is 60 or older or disabled:

• Only the net income test applies. Your household does not have to pass the gross income test. Net income is what is left after allowed deductions, and it must be at or below 100% of the poverty guidelines.
• Higher resource limit. Your savings and other resources can be up to $4,500, instead of $3,000 for most households. Your home and one vehicle do not count.
• Medical costs count. Medical costs not paid by someone else, such as health insurance, doctor and hospital bills, and drug receipts, are deducted from your income. Bring proof.
• Work rules. Since July 2025, federal SNAP time limits can apply to adults without dependents up to age 64, unless an exception applies. People 65 and over are not affected.

How to apply for SNAP, step by step

1. Apply in one of these ways:
   • Online at eaportal.sd.gov.
   • In person at your local DSS office (find it at dss.sd.gov/findyourlocaloffice). You have the right to file on the same day you contact the office.
   • On paper: Download the application, fill it out, and bring or mail it to your local office. You can ask DSS staff to help you fill out the application.
2. Gather proof: ID, Social Security and pension letters, bank statements, rent or mortgage and utility bills, and medical bills and receipts.
3. Go to your interview. Bring what you have, even if some papers are missing. You will get more time, and staff can help you get missing information.
4. If you need food right away, say so. Households with an immediate need can get benefits within a few days.

For help, call DSS benefits specialists at 1-877-999-5612 (TTY 1-877-486-2048).

After you are approved

• Report changes that DSS asks you to report. You can report changes online through eaportal.sd.gov.
• Report new medical costs so they can be counted.
• Renew on time. Watch your mail for renewal forms.
• Appeals: If you disagree with a decision, your notice explains how to ask for a fair hearing and the deadline. Call DSS at 1-877-999-5612 for help.

Things people miss

• South Dakota does not take part in the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. Look to CSFP food packages instead.
• Savings up to $4,500 are allowed for households with someone 60 or older.
• Keep medical receipts. They can raise your SNAP benefit.

Free help

• Dakota at Home: 1-833-663-9673, for meals and other services for older adults.
• DSS benefits specialists: 1-877-999-5612.
• Feeding South Dakota: 605-335-0364 (Sioux Falls) or 605-348-2689 (Rapid City).

If you get SSI or Medicare, see all benefits in South Dakota for more help.

Phone numbers: Free help lines for South Dakota agencies

Check what you may qualify for