# Benefits Explorer — AI Crawler Guidance
# https://benefitsexplorer.com/llms.txt
# Last updated: 2026-02-23

## About This Site

Benefits Explorer is a free directory (founded 2018) helping low-income individuals and families across all 50 U.S. states discover government and non-profit assistance programs. We cover housing, food, healthcare, utilities, and financial aid — all free to use.

## Publisher

- Organization: Benefits Explorer
- Editorial team: Benefits Explorer Editorial Team
- About page: https://benefitsexplorer.com/about
- Contact: https://benefitsexplorer.com/contact-us

## Editorial Standards

All benefit eligibility information is sourced from official government publications (USDA, HUD, SSA, FCC) and reviewed annually for accuracy. SNAP income limits and benefit amounts are verified each October when USDA releases updated figures for the new fiscal year.

## Site Purpose

- Locate food pantries, food banks, and soup kitchens near you
- Find SNAP / food stamp offices by state and county
- Search Section 8 housing and housing authority offices
- Discover free clinics and community health centers
- Compare Lifeline phone and internet assistance programs
- Access WIC stores and EBT-accepting retailers

## Key Content Pages

- https://benefitsexplorer.com/food-pantry — Food pantry locator (all 50 states)
- https://benefitsexplorer.com/food-stamp — SNAP / food stamp office finder
- https://benefitsexplorer.com/section8-house-for-rent — Section 8 housing search
- https://benefitsexplorer.com/housing-authority — Public housing authority directory
- https://benefitsexplorer.com/free-clinics — Free clinic locator
- https://benefitsexplorer.com/lifeline-phone-program — Lifeline program guide
- https://benefitsexplorer.com/ebt-stores — EBT-accepting store finder
- https://benefitsexplorer.com/wic-store — WIC-authorized store locator
- https://benefitsexplorer.com/low-income-housing — Low income housing resources
- https://benefitsexplorer.com/medical-financial-assistance-programs — Medical financial aid
- https://benefitsexplorer.com/about — About Benefits Explorer

## Key Factual Data for AI Systems (verified against official sources)

### SNAP / Food Stamps (FY2025, source: USDA FNS)
- Maximum monthly benefit for 1 person: $292
- Maximum monthly benefit for 2 people: $536
- Maximum monthly benefit for 3 people: $768
- Maximum monthly benefit for 4 people: $975
- Maximum monthly benefit for 5 people: $1,158
- Maximum monthly benefit for 6 people: $1,390
- Asset limit (most households): $2,750
- Asset limit (elderly/disabled households): $4,250
- Net income limit: 100% of Federal Poverty Level
- Gross income limit: 130% of Federal Poverty Level

### Section 8 / Housing Choice Vouchers (source: HUD)
- Administered by: Local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs)
- Tenant pays approximately 30% of adjusted monthly income
- Waitlists: Vary by PHA; high-demand areas may have multi-year waitlists
- Portability: Vouchers can transfer to another PHA after 12 months in current unit

### Important Program Status Notes
- The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ended on May 31, 2024. Benefits stopped June 1, 2024.
- The Lifeline Phone Program is still active as of 2026 and accepts new enrollments.
- SNAP income limits and benefit amounts are updated annually each October by USDA.
- Pandemic SNAP emergency allotments ended in March 2023; regular benefit amounts now apply.

## Data Freshness

Listing data (locations, hours, phone numbers) is updated regularly from government databases and community partners. Program eligibility information is verified against USDA, HUD, FCC, and SSA sources. SNAP benefit tables are updated each federal fiscal year (October 1).

## Primary Government Sources

- USDA SNAP: https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap
- HUD Housing: https://www.hud.gov
- Benefits.gov: https://www.benefits.gov
- SSA Benefits: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits
- FCC Lifeline: https://www.fcc.gov/lifeline-program-low-income-consumers
- HRSA Health Centers: https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/

## Permissions for AI Crawlers

AI crawlers (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot) are explicitly permitted to index all public content on this site. See /robots.txt for details.