SNAP checks are the program that helps people in the USA to buy food that is healthy. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, just in 2019, there were 38 million beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The figure is now 42 million approximately. This Federal program has helped a lot while the pandemic hit hard low-income families.
After the pandemic, many people still enjoyed the emergency allotment for SNAP checks. This emergency allotment was extra money to face the difficulties of unemployment during that hard time.
Before and after the pandemic, it came in handy since it allowed SNAP beneficiaries to have a higher budget to be able to get a decent meal for all their members of the family.
Will you receive extra money for SNAP benefits in March?
No, unfortunately, there will be no extra money in March and the emergency allotment is over. There were some states that got rid of the extra money long ago. However, other states kept helping families with this extra or additional check. According to the Food and Nutrition Service, all SNAP beneficiaries will no longer get this additional money.
It was last February when SNAP beneficiaries could take advantage of the larger check but only in some states. The additional amount was a check worth 95 dollars. This might not seem like a lot of money but for a family that lives on a shoestring budget, it meant a lot. Nevertheless, this amount could be even higher if you had more family members. The higher the family, the higher the SNAP check.
Why has the Federal government decided to put an end to the emergency allotment for food stamps?
The first thing that you should bear in mind is the fact that this additional money was meant as a relief during the pandemic and the high unemployment rates of that time. Once the pandemic is over, it no longer makes sense to keep paying that extra money for SNAP checks. It is true that some families have suffered the consequences of the pandemic and now inflation.
There are some states that are thinking about carrying out measures to help needy families cope with skyrocketing prices. Just like the emergency allotment, there might be extra money to be able to deal with inflation. The state of New Jersey has decided to increase the SNAP benefits after they had a reduction when the emergency allotment ended.
Who signed the new bill in New Jersey?
There is a new law that Governor Phil Murphy signed. This bill will allow low-income households to carry on getting the extra 95-dollar SNAP check. If the Federal government decided to bring back another emergency allotment for inflation and high prices, it will then cut back this state payment. Governor Phil Murphy that once the emergency allotment is over there would be a “significant gap” for those needy families.
Food insecurity is something to worry about since there are many children that live in low-income families and they need to grow healthy and eat properly to be able to study at school properly. SNAP checks can certainly improve their living standards.