Applying for food benefits after losing my job

I lost my job as a machine operator and my household is applying for SNAP for the first time. I am in St. Louis, in case local advice matters. There are 18 people in my household. What did you submit and how long did approval take?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 14 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.