Sign at supermarket entrance with text reading We Welcome EBT customers and a SNAP logo in Lafayette, California, November 13, 2025. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
PENNSYLVANIA - It's been several months since SNAP benefits were limited for some recipients, and now Pennsylvania is trying to help its residents meet the new requirements.
What we know:
Beginning on Tuesday, Pennsylvania residents will be able to keep their SNAP benefits with a new tool connecting them to volunteer opportunities across the state.
New federal rules require some people to meet work requirements to keep or become eligible for SNAP benefits. Those work requirements include working, volunteering and/or participating in an education or training program.
Pennsylvania residents can search online for volunteer opportunities in their zip code.
Work requirements must total at least 20 hours a week, or 80 hours a month, and have to be reported.
How it works
To find volunteer opportunities on PA Navigate:
- Go to pa-navigate.org, enter your ZIP code, and search for "volunteer opportunity."
- Contact the organization where you want to volunteer to learn more and get connected to volunteer opportunities.
- The organization where you volunteer completes the Community Service Verification Form to track your volunteer hours.
What they're saying:
"DHS is committed to doing everything we can to connect Pennsylvanians who receive SNAP with tools and information to help them keep their benefits and feed themselves and their families," said Department of Human Services Secretary Arkoosh.
"Adding volunteer listings to PA Navigate both helps SNAP recipients meet the new federal requirements and helps community-based organizations fill volunteer roles, which are often so important to their ability to serve their communities."
How have SNAP benefits changed in Pennsylvania?
Changes to SNAP benefits in Pennsylvania are now underway, pushing some recipients to meet specific work requirements or risk losing their benefits.
The backstory:
On September 1, 2025, SNAP benefits changed for Pennsylvania after President Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" was passed in July.
Some SNAP recipients will now have to meet work requirements and report them to the Department of Human Services.
If the SNAP recipient does not meet the work requirements, they will be limited to three months of SNAP benefits for a 3-year period.
The new SNAP benefit rules apply to you if you:
- Are between 18–54 years old
- Do not have a dependent child under 18
- Are considered physically and mentally able to work
The Source: Information from this article was sourced from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and previous reporting by FOX 29 Philadelphia.