To apply for FoodShare online visit ACCESS. To do it over the phone or in person contact your local agency. To find your local agency call 1-800-362-3002 or click here. You can download and review the FoodShare application here.

If you are eligible for the program your benefits will start within 30 days of applying. If you are not eligible you will get notice stating so within 30 days. There is an appeals process if you believe you were unfairly denied.

In certain urgent circumstances benefits are started within seven days of applying. You are eligible for expedited benefits if your household has $100 or less available in cash or in the bank and

• Expects to receive less than $150 of income this month; or

• Has rent/mortgage or utility costs that are more than your total gross monthly income, available cash or bank accounts for this month; or

• Includes a migrant or season farm worker whose income has stopped

After you are accepted into the program you will receive a Wisconsin QUEST card. Your benefits will be credited to the card every month. The card works like a check card. Your social security number determines the day of the month your benefits are credited to the card.


FoodShare Wisconsin – A Recipe For Good Health

You can use your card at farmers markets and at grocery stores that have the Quest sign. Benefits can be used to by foods such as:
- Breads and cereals
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meats, fish and poultry
- Dairy products
- Seeds and plants to grow food for your family to eat.

You cannot use your benefits to buy the following.
- Nonfood items
- Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco
- Food that will be eaten in the store
- Hot foods (example; food that is purchased and cooked at the store)

FoodShare Statistics
14.4% of the 5.7 million people in Wisconsin receive FoodShare.
55% of the recipients are female and 45% are male.
57% are adults and 43% are minors.

Even when a deferred payment plan cannot be maintained certain circumstances prevent a utility company from disconnecting a customer’s utility service. The following are examples.

• When a customer is unable to pay between November 1st and April 15th if the utility is necessary for a heating system.
• During a heat advisory declared by the National Weather Service.
• When the shut-off would cause a medical emergency or interfere with protective services.
• When the disconnection is a result of a utility company knowingly assisting a landlord in the removal or eviction of a tenant.

Customers who are involved in a dispute with their utility company can file a complaint with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (“PSC”). The PSC assists residents who are unable to directly resolve disputes with their utility company by allowing them to file a complaint with a Consumer Specialist. The complaint may be filed by telephone, letter or through a form that can be found on the PSC website.

If you do not fall into one of the exceptions above and are facing a utility shut off you may be able to keep your power on by filing bankruptcy. The balance owed on the day you file bankruptcy will be discharged in the bankruptcy. You however are responsible to pay for any services after that time. Most utility companies will turn your power on and then require that a deposit be paid within 20 days to keep the service on. The deposit can be as high as two or three months of peak service.

The meeting is not in front of a judge and isn’t even at the court house. Most clients filing bankruptcy complete the entire process without ever seeing a judge or walking into a courthouse. Formal court attire is not necessary.

Dress in layers and wear what you would normally wear to work. If you are not working wear what you would wear to visit the dentist. Make sure not to wear anything too tight, short or low cut. If you decide to wear a hat expect to take it off during the meeting. If you are wearing any jewelry you didn’t list in your paperwork let your attorney know before the meeting starts. Your attorney will let the trustee know you plan on amending the paperwork to include the overlooked jewelry.

1. The Form: Take out a piece of paper and draw a table with five columns and enough rows to include all of your creditors. Label the first column CREDITOR, the second column BALANCE, the third column INTEREST RATE, the fourth column MNIMUM PAYMENT and the last column MONTHS. Click here to download the form.

2. Gathering information: Fill out the first four columns by looking at your account statements or calling your creditors. If you don’t know who all of your creditors are visit AnnualCreditReport.com and request a free copy of your credit report.

3. Total Minimum Payments: Add up all the minimum payments and put the total under that column. Circle the number.

4. Budget: Look at your budget and figure out how much a month you can afford to spend on getting out of debt. Write that number under the circled number on your debt list and draw a square around it.

5. Can You Do It?
If your squared number is less then your circled number go back to step four and adjust your budget.

If the squared number is equal to your circled number move on to step 6.

If the squared number is greater then your circled number increase your payment amount on the debt with the highest interest rate. Increase the payment by exactly how much more you have in your squared number. (Redo this every time you pay a debt off.)

6. How Long Will It Take: Use the calculator below to figure out how many months it will take you to pay off each creditor. Fill out the final column for each creditor. (If the calculator says 0 months it is because your payment is not high enough to ever pay off the debt. You have to increase the payment amount.)

7. Are You Willing to Commit?
If you are happy with your results start following your plan to becoming debt free.

If you are not happy with your results consider going back to step four or seeking professional advice regarding other alternatives.