SPONSORED LINK: STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK As the emergency allocations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) end in March, beneficiaries will once again receive their regular monthly payments.
After nearly three years of helping people cope financially with the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the federal omnibus bill for the fiscal year 2023 that passed in December eliminated the monthly additional payments that had provided that relief.
Eighteen states had already stopped giving out the pandemic benefits before this month. Without the additional funds provided by the emergency allotments, SNAP households in 32 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will see a monthly decrease of at least $95.
States like California, Texas, and New York, which are among the most populated in the country, fall into this category.
Many New Yorkers’ ability to make ends meet has depended on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which are doled out by the New York State Office of Temporary Disability and Assistance (OTDA).
According to OTDA’s most current report, by December 2022, more than 1.6 million households across the state, including more than 2.8 million New Yorkers, were enrolled in SNAP.
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Monthly SNAP payouts saw a 12.5% boost in October 2022, compared to levels seen before the epidemic. Despite this, rising prices have made life difficult for SNAP recipients.
Access to Food Banks and Other Food Assistance Programs
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and children under the age of five who receive SNAP may be eligible for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
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Discounts on residential internet expenses are available through programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program, which can also assist ease household costs.
Potentially related programs for New York’s SNAP participants are:
- Coupon programs like FreshConnect, Double Up Food Bucks, and NYC Health Bucks make it easier to shop for healthy groceries at places like farmers’ markets and grocery stores.
- Help with home heating costs is available through HEAP.
- Help with food costs from local pantries.
City Harvest’s interactive map helps New York City residents locate free food distribution centers in their neighborhoods. Places including soup kitchens, food pantries, and community fridges are included in the list.
Partners in Distribution at Harvest and City Harvest’s Mobile Markets.
