Eligibility & Benefits

Eligibility Requirements -- Receiving Benefits -- Food Packages

What are the program eligibility requirements for CSFP?

Low-income pregnant and breastfeeding women; new mothers up to one year postpartum; infants; children up to their sixth birthday; and older persons at least 60 years of age who meet income eligibility requirements and reside in the state of Missouri are eligible to participate in the CSFP. Income eligibility requirements for women, infants, and children are currently 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines, while older persons must have income at or below 130 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (currently $19,123 for a family of two).

Women, Infants, and Children
185 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines
amounts valid from April 2012.
Pregnant women are counted as two family members*

Family Size

Annual

Monthly

Weekly

1

$20,665

$1,723

$398

2

$27,991

$2,333

$539

3

$35,317

$2,944

$680

4

$42,643

$3,554

$821

5

$49,969

$4,165

$961

6

$57,295

$4,775

$1,102

7

$64,621

$5,386

$1,243

8

$71,947

$5,996

$1,384

Each additional family member

Plus $7,326

Plus $611

Plus $141

* In the case of a known multiple birth pregnancy, each fetus will be counted as one family member.

Persons 60 Years and Older
130 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines
amounts valid from April 2011.

Family Size

Annual

Monthly

Weekly

1

$14,521

$1,211

$280

2

$19,669

$1,640

$379

3

$24,817

$2,069

$478

4

$29,965

$2,498

$577

5

$35,113

$2,927

$676

6

$40,261

$3,356

$775

7

$45,409

$3,785

$874

8

$50,557

$4,214

$973

Each additional family member

Plus $5,148

Plus $429

Plus $99

How do I receive benefits?

Eligibility Documentations

Category Verification of Eligibility Income Verification
Elderly - Persons 60 years of age or older. Birth certificate or hospital record of birth are preferred; if not available, may use any of the following which must show the applicant's name, age or date of birth: state identity card, insurance policy, driver's license, clinic, doctor, or hospital record, U.S. passport or U.S. citizen ID card, marriage or divorce record, voter's registration, military record, newspaper notice of birth, welfare card, any other document providing identifying data sufficient to establish age. Self declaration.
Pregnant Women - Women determined to have one or more fetuses in utero. Visual observation if the woman is obviously pregnant. Written note from a physician if pregnancy is not obvious. Self declaration.
Postpartum Women - Women up to 12 months after termination of pregnancy. Birth certificate or hospital record of birth or newspaper notice of birth of infant (with date indicated) or physician's notice of an otherwise termination of pregnancy. Self declaration.
Breastfeeding Women - Women up to one year postpartum who are breastfeeding their infants. Same as postpartum woman and woman does not take more than six cans of concentrate or two cans of powdered supplementary formula for her infant and states she is breastfeeding. Self declaration.
Children - Persons who are at least one year of age but have not reached their sixth birthday. Birth certificate or hospital record of birth; if not available, use any of the following showing name and birthday: immunization record, adoption record, clinic, doctor or hospital record, U.S. passport or US citizen ID card, welfare ID card, or any other document providing identifying data sufficient to establish proper age. Self declaration.
Infants - Persons under one year of age. Same as for children. Self declaration.

Foods available to CSFP participants

CSFP food packages do not provide a complete diet (see the Food Guide Pyramid for a complete diet), but rather are good sources of the nutrients typically lacking in the diets of the target population. These include vitamins A and C, calcium and iron. Participants receive items appropriate to their nutritional needs.

Monthly food packages include a variety of foods, such as iron-fortified infant formula and cereal, non-fat dry milk, evaporated milk, juice, farina (cream of wheat), oats, ready-to-eat cereal, rice, pasta, egg mix, peanut butter, dry beans or peas, canned meat or poultry or tuna or salmon, and canned fruits and vegetables.