Capitol Correspondence - 04.06.21

Biden Administration Further Expands Nutrition Assistance

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We are sharing this announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture so our members can keep their networks informed of developments in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – this could be relevant to both individuals supported and Direct Support Professionals. In addition to the increased SNAP payments announced last week, the Biden Administration is expanding nutrition assistance to a scale not seen since 1977.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) took action to provide $1 billion per month in additional food assistance to an estimated 25 million people in very low-income households that are participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and struggling to put food on the table due to the pandemic.

Starting this month, households that had not received at least $95 per month in increased benefits through emergency allotments during the pandemic – because they were already at or close to receiving the current maximum benefit – will now be eligible to receive additional benefits. Benefit levels will remain unchanged for households that have been receiving increased payments of at least $95 per month. States may need a few weeks to update their systems and get the additional benefits to participants. […]

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act authorized emergency allotments to SNAP households to help address temporary food needs during the pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, USDA has issued about $29 billion in additional benefits, to bring all SNAP households up to the maximum benefit for their household size. Unfortunately, households already at the maximum SNAP benefit received no additional support. Among households that received little to no benefit increase, about 40% have children, 20% include someone who is elderly and 15% include someone who is disabled.”