In 32 states, SNAP benefits will be reduced next month, costing the typical household $95 in food aid. Contact your local SNAP office if you are concerned about a change to your benefits.
On March 1, the Pandemic Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will no longer receive an increase as a result of the pandemic.
Why SNAP Benefits Will End?
As pandemic-related SNAP benefits expire next month, millions of Americans will lose a temporary boost to their federal food aid. These are some factors to consider before implementing the change:
The COVID-19 outbreak caused substantial food insecurity for tens of thousands of individuals. In addition, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to increase SNAP assistance for low-income families during the pandemic’s early days.
The Biden administration aims to end the extra allocations in May when the president will announce the end of the pandemic. According to research by the Urban Institute, the boost prevented 4,2 million people from falling into poverty.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, passed by Congress the previous year, put a halt to the additional allotments.
Over 42 million Americans utilize SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. In March, SNAP beneficiaries in 32 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will no longer get supplemental funds.
Prior to the approaching deadline, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming ceased granting SNAP emergency allocations throughout the pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, over half of the households receiving SNAP also receive Social Security benefits. And most will see a change in their monthly SNAP allowance as a result of an adjustment in the cost of living.
All affected households will experience a net gain, as the adjustment will enhance Social Security payments more than it would reduce SNAP benefits, the government stated in a statement.
Read more: Millions of people will get up to $4,555 in Social Security payments tomorrow! Are you one of them?
How Much Money Will SNAP Recipients Lose?
Every household in these 32 states and territories will lose at least $95 per month in SNAP payments, and some may lose $250 or more per month, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
The average SNAP recipient in these states can anticipate a loss of $90 per month. Even if several states have stopped giving this additional money, the return to pre-pandemic levels of SNAP benefits could be jarring for millions of people across the country, especially those who did not get food assistance prior to 2020.
They’ve never seen what genuine SNAP looks like or how little people actually receive, said Keith Carr, senior manager of police and government affairs at City Harvest, a food rescue organization in New York City.
