Beginning Sunday, February 1, SNAP recipients ages 18 to 64 without dependents will need to work, volunteer, or participate in qualifying educational programs for at least 20 hours per week (80 hours monthly) to keep receiving SNAP benefits.
In addition, as of November 1, 2025, some recipients who were previously exempt now must meet work requirements to receive SNAP benefits (unless they meet different exemptions):
- 55-64 year-olds
- Veterans
- Parents with youngest children aged 14 or older
- People experiencing houselessness
- Former foster youth who have turned 18
If they do not meet the new SNAP work requirements, or if they fail to report meeting the requirements, they will not receive more than three months of benefits over the course of three years.
Below are additional resources on the recent SNAP work requirement changes, and ways to find volunteer opportunities that count toward federal work requirements and reporting those requirements.
For Pennsylvania:
- SNAP Work Requirements (PEERs) | Department of Human Services | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- Eligibility: Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management
- Volunteer opportunities per ZIP code: PA Navigate by findhelp – Search and Connect to Social Care
For New Jersey:
- NJ SNAP | Staying on SNAP
- Eligibility: NJHelps
- Employment opportunities: Career Services | One-Stop Career Centers
