Once your family is approved for food assistance, you’ll receive an Ohio Direction Card with instructions for how to activate your card and set up your PIN, a secret code that you will need to make purchases.

You can use the card, which looks just like a credit card, to make food purchases at most grocery stores. Simply swipe the card through the card reader, enter your PIN, and the purchase amount is deducted from your total monthly benefit amount.

Find stores and markets that accept the Ohio Direction Card near you.

SNAP benefits can be used to purchase:

• Foods for the household to eat
• Seeds and plants that produce food

SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase:

• Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco
• Nonfood items like pet food, paper products, or cleaning supplies
• Vitamins and medicines
• Hot foods, restaurant meals 

More information about SNAP eligible food items.

Your benefits will be automatically loaded onto your card each month. Find out what day of the month your benefits will be issued by looking at the last digit of your case number:

Last Digit of Case Number	Day of the Month Your Benefits will be Issued
0	2nd
1	4th
2	6th
3	8th
4	10th
5	12th
6	14th
7	16th
8	18th
9	20th

For example, if your case number is 256455, your food benefits will be issued on the 12th of each month.

You can check your benefits balance three ways:

• Create an account at the Ohio Direction Card website 
• Call the Customer Service Help Desk at 866-386-3071
• Check your most recent grocery store receipt