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Hochul announces $234 million in additional food assistance for November

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Fri, Nov 18th 2022 11:50 am

All SNAP households to receive maximum level of food benefits for November

√ Supplemental food benefits expected to continue through February

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive the maximum allowable level of food benefits for November. All households participating in SNAP – including those already at the maximum level of benefits – will receive a supplemental allotment this month, resulting in a roughly $234 million infusion of federal funding into the New York state economy.

"SNAP is one of our greatest tools in addressing food insecurity among New Yorkers, especially those who are still suffering from the economic fallout caused by the pandemic," Hochul said. "These funds will help New Yorkers purchase healthy, nutritious food for themselves and their families, while freeing up resources for other household needs.”

The emergency assistance supplement will be provided to all households, including those that ordinarily receive the maximum allowable benefit per month, receiving SNAP, a federally funded program overseen by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). Households already near or at the maximum benefit level – $939 for a household of four – will receive a supplemental payment of at least $95.

SNAP households in all counties outside of New York City should see these extra benefits post by Wednesday, Nov. 23. Those SNAP households in the five-county New York City region should see their benefits post by Monday, Nov. 28.

OTDA began issuing the emergency supplemental benefits in April 2020 to those SNAP households receiving less than the maximum monthly benefit amount. When New York state's emergency declaration expired in June 2021, the agency successfully worked with the federal government to secure the maximum allotment for all SNAP households until the expiration of the federal declaration of a public health emergency, which was extended until January and will enable OTDA to continue issuing these benefits through February.

A press release said, “New Yorkers continue to rely heavily on SNAP, with more than 1.6 million households, including more than 2.8 million New Yorkers, throughout the state enrolled in the program in September. While SNAP recipients statewide were down slightly compared to August, they were up 2.5% over September 2021, highlighting the continuing demand for these critical benefits.”

New York State OTDA Commissioner Daniel W. Tietz said, "We are pleased to continue working with our federal partners to maximize monthly benefits for all SNAP recipients in New York state. This will help hundreds of thousands of hard-working New Yorkers struggling to put food on the table to keep their families healthy and well-fed."

U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle said, "We have a duty to ensure families are able to provide for their children and put food on their tables. I appreciate Gov. Hochul's efforts to interrupt the cycle of poverty by extending emergency supplemental SNAP benefits to New Yorkers. I look forward to our continued work together to increase access to healthy meal options and strengthen the future of our community."

The press release said, “SNAP plays an important role in New York's ongoing economic recovery and has injected more than $2 billion into the state's economy since January. Every federal dollar invested by SNAP generates up to $1.54 in economic activity, according to a federal study quantifying the impact of SNAP on the U.S. economy.

“These supplemental benefits are also a critical lifeline for New Yorkers in need, as about 14% of the state's population relied on SNAP benefits last year, according to a recent study. More than half of recipient households were families with children and about 48% included an adult over the age of 55, or a person with a disability.”

As with the prior months, the payments will be delivered directly to recipients' existing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) accounts and can be accessed with their existing EBT cards. Like regular SNAP benefits, the supplemental benefits can be used to purchase food at authorized retail food stores. Any unused SNAP benefits will automatically carry over to the following month.

Find more information on the emergency supplemental SNAP benefits, including answers to frequently asked questions, here. New Yorkers interested in enrolling can check their SNAP eligibility, as well as apply online, by visiting mybenefits.ny.gov.

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