WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR EMERGENCY SNAP BENEFITS END?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is a federal program that provides nutrition benefits to low-income individuals and families that are used at stores to purchase food. The program has evolved from what was commonly known as the “food stamps” program and is administered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) through its nationwide network.
SNAP is designed to assist families whose household incomes are $23,000 or less a year. Local FNS field offices are responsible for the licensing and monitoring of retail food stores participating in SNAP. Other programs administered by the FNS include WIC, or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
Since March 2020, Congress temporarily increased SNAP benefits by providing Emergency Allotments to help low-income individuals and families across the US deal with the financial hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 law recently passed by Congress ends emergency allotments after February 2023 SNAP EA benefits are issued. This means that by March 2023, all SNAP households’ benefits will return to standard SNAP benefit amounts, without the added supplement.
The emergency allotment increased monthly payments by at least $95—a sizable amount for struggling families who are desperate to make ends meet---but it could be higher based on the number of individuals in the household. The average increase per household was $251 a month. The emergency benefits, along with other assistance programs, kept food insecurity in check and cut national poverty rates to all-time-lows. An increase in need is likely to begin this month as families adjust to a smaller household budget to purchase essential items.
Although SNAP benefits remain in place, and the average monthly allotment is higher now than it was three years ago because of a permanent increase by the Biden administration of 25 percent above pre-pandemic levels. Because of increases to Social Security payments, some households may see a smaller monthly SNAP benefit.
For individuals experiencing poverty, the loss of emergency benefits will force them to make difficult decisions about how to pay for essential items, included food, medicine, childcare, and utilities.
Nationally, 91.8 million Americans have had difficulty paying for essential household expenses in the last week. Almost two-third of Americans—over 200 million people—are living paycheck to paycheck.
The Salvation Army of Central Maryland remains committed to serving anyone in need based on our ability to help. With the expiration of emergency SNAP benefits—along with other changes in federal assistance such as the end of the expanded Child Tax Credit, rental relief programs, and universal school lunch—requests for service are expected to increase nationwide. We will continue to serve to the best of our ability. The Salvation Army of Central Maryland has multiple social services that help folks enduring food insecurity.
The Salvation Army of Central Maryland Food Programs
- Through the FeedMore mobile feeding program, The Salvation Army of Central Maryland served 64,730 meals, personal comfort kits, snacks and coats to over 24, 133 street homeless (unduplicated) in 2022..
- Through Carroll County’s Brass Hat Café program, The Salvation Army of Central Maryland served 21, 192 meals, provided 1, 569 groceries, and served 22, 757 individuals in 2022.
- Through Corn Bread Café, The Salvation Army of Central Maryland served 9, 366 meals and provided 325 clothing items, and 467 personal comfort kits.
- Through our Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), The Salvation Army of Central Maryland provided seniors above the age of sixty 24,000 grocery boxes that yielded 504,000 meals to more than 2,000 seniors in Baltimore City and in Baltimore County. If you are a senior above 60, and want to be added to the CSFP meal delivery list, please call Meals on Wheels at: #410-558-0532.
- In 2022, The Salvation Army of Central Maryland served 46, 407 individuals and provided 119,872 meals.
- Every year, The Salvation Army partners with the Maryland Food Bank to provide fresh produce to families in need through ‘Pantry on the Go’. Pantry on The Go bridges a relationship between farms and the Maryland Food Bank program to provide more than 6,000 pounds of produce and/or non-perishable foods. Thanks to this partnership, The Salvation Army of Central Maryland can feed over 200 families per Pantry on the Go Event. If you live in Baltimore County, Glen Burnie, Howard County or Carroll County, The Salvation Army of Central Maryland has a listing of Pantry on the Go dates from January until November 2023 depending on the location. Click here for Pantry on the Go locations and dates.
Learn more about The Salvation Army of Central Maryland’s food programs by visiting our website here. Give love beyond hunger by donating to The Salvation Army here.