Technology is central to the life of any American citizen today. Whether you are a college or university student, or a person of working age, it is very likely that you need access to the Internet to perform operations, work, homework, or other needs.
Perhaps buying a computer is a bit of an uphill climb for a family that does not have the resources necessary to have a decent diet, such as families enrolled in the SNAP program. Now, it is said that it is possible to have access to a tablet for free if you have an EBT card; is this true?
Would it be possible to obtain a tablet with my EBT?
EBT cards are only used for purchases in supermarkets or pharmacies where food is sold. In addition, the stores must be SNAP-approved for your EBT card to be swiped and for billing to occur.
For this reason, it causes much confusion about whether you can get a free tablet using an EBT card. The answer to this is not a simple yes.
The opportunity to get a free tablet for your family is not directly linked to the EBT card; it is associated with the SNAP program.
How to get a tablet via SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program aims to help and support low-income families to have a healthy life, so those who enter this program will be sent a card that is known as EBT to be able to buy their food.
However, the base company is not EBT; that is just the name of the service; the company would be the U.S. federal government, specifically the Department of Agriculture.
Any family already receiving SNAP benefits is eligible for programs linked to the federal government and is a SNAP partner. Among those programs is the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, better known by its acronym EBB.
The EBB is the agency through which you can apply for a free tablet.
The benefit is that if you are part of SNAP, you will not have to go through the election process for the EBB program; you will be eligible automatically.
Is anyone eligible for a tablet?
The answer is no. Being on SNAP will help prove that your family does not have enough income to afford a tablet. However, it is important to know that not everyone is eligible for this program.
Suppose there is a student in the family whose performance is affected by not being able to attend online classes or perhaps do homework or check college or university websites due to a lack of electronic devices. In that case, they will be a priority for the EBB program.
Documents required for a free government tablet
When applying for a free government tablet, you must have some documents on hand that you will be asked for in the application for a faster and more effective approval process. The documents you will need are:
- Tax returns: Here, also enter proof of the monthly salary of the head of household
- Contact information: Contact information includes local or cell phone, the applicant’s address, zip code, and email address.
- Photo: A photo of the applicant will be required.
- Proof of Residency: Here, you must verify that you reside at the address you have provided in your contact information. In addition, whether the home is in your name, rented, mortgaged, or other relevant information to the application.
- SNAP Enrollment: Here, you will need to submit a document that validates that the applicant or family is enrolled and currently part of the SNAP program to be eligible for the EBB program
- Student information: Since the government will prioritize students, it is recommended to have all the student’s information (where they study, if it is a private or public school, level of study, etc.)
I qualified. Now what?
Once qualified, you will be sent a confirmation of the process, and then the tablet will be mailed to you without any shipping cost or extra tax. The mailing address must be the same as the one in the application since that is where the device will be sent.
Other options for electronic help with my EBT
The EBB is not the only program that offers this electronic aid to needy families in the United States. Other companies that partner with the SNAP program to provide free tablets include Q Link Wireless and T-Mobile.
These companies also have free internet services or help pay for secure and efficient Wi-Fi and better signal in the home. Both have an agreement with SNAP, so if you are part of the program, you may also want to check out these options.