Home State Health Partners with St. Louis Area Foodbank to Help SNAP Applicants

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Home State Health is partnering with the St. Louis Area Foodbank to maximize reach and increase the Foodbank's efficiency by helping qualified members enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Home State Health members living in one of the 14 Missouri counties the Foodbank serves can receive application assistance by filling out a form.

SNAP, also known as food stamps, is a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance for low and no-income families and individuals. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, this can also be a crucial resource to support individuals experiencing unemployment and struggling with food insecurity. By assisting the St. Louis Area Foodbank with enrolling SNAP applicants, Home State Health can support local efforts to educate community members of available resources while also promoting food accessibility.

"It's important to us that families in Missouri get the necessary food relief that they need during this time and we're grateful to the St. Louis Area Foodbank for allowing us to assist with this process," said Nathan Landsbaum, CEO of Home State Health. "Through this partnership we're able to help address food insecurity issues in our communities and make sure our members know this type of support is available."

As a St. Louis Area Foodbank partner, Home State Health staff are trained to provide application support to health plan members completing SNAP applications in print form. Home State Health helps to pre-screen applications to determine eligibility for SNAP benefits and then sends completed applications to the St. Louis Area Foodbank. Home State Health will also be able to notify members of application submission by the Foodbank. As part of the online application, individuals also have the option to make an appointment with the Foodbank's SNAP Coordinator who conducts outreach for Missouri residents.

"We greatly appreciate the support from Home State Health to help ensure that Missouri residents receive the necessary food assistance," said Melissa Melton, SNAP Coordinator at the St. Louis Area Foodbank. "We've provided them with the necessary SNAP training, so we know we can rely on them to help us manage the application volume. Partnerships such as this one help us build stronger communities by empowering people with food and hope."

Home State Health has been supporting Missouri residents since 2012 across its Medicaid, Medicare, and Ambetter plans.

Home State Health is a Care Management Organization that serves the needs of Missourians through a range of health insurance solutions. Home State Health serves the Medicaid population in partnership with MO HealthNet. The organization also focuses on under-insured and uninsured individuals through its federal insurance marketplace plan, Ambetter. Additionally, Home State Health provides insurance for the Medicare population through a Medicare Advantage plan, Allwell. Home State Health exists to improve the health of its members through focused, compassionate and coordinated care. Home State Health is owned by a joint venture of Centene Corporation and Missouri Community Health Access. Centene Corporation, is a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise. For more information, visit www.homestatehealth.com.

The St. Louis Area Foodbank began its service to the community in 1975. Since that time, the organization has grown to become the bi-state region's largest nonprofit 501c3 food distribution center dedicated to feeding individuals in need. Through a robust network of community partners and programs throughout 26 counties in Missouri and Illinois, the Foodbank helps provide 44 million meals annually. More than 392,000 people in the bi-state region rely on the Foodbank for assistance each year. For 45 years, the St. Louis Area Foodbank has been there for people dealing with crisis, be it a natural disaster, a global pandemic, or the everyday crisis of hunger. For more information on Foodbank's efforts and how people can access resources near them, call (314) 292-6262 or visit https://STLFoodbank.org. On social media, we are @STLFoodbank on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.   

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SOURCE Home State Health