![]() "We had a lot of calls from people who had never in their life had to ask anyone for assistance for food, to feed their family, and they were devastated," May recalled. May recalled how tough the situation was, and how important it was for organizations like hers to be able to respond quickly. ![]() More than 260,000 Arkansas households did not have a sufficient amount of food during the pandemic. "Someone did tell me today, was two families that lost their food stamps, and they said it was very critical." "We have had, probably in the last three or four weeks, a great influx of calls getting on our schedule," Tucker noted. Department of Agriculture, meaning they didn't have enough to eat because they could not get or afford sufficient food.įour Arkansas Food Banks have said visits to their pantries are as high or higher than they were at the height of the pandemic.ĭ'Wan Tucker, ministry assistant at the Central Christian Church Food Distribution Center, said there has been a noticeable uptick in need. About 6.3% of Arkansans experienced "very low" food security between 20, according to the U.S. The bill also allows for adjusting the asset limit to qualify for SNAP benefits, based on inflation. "Because of the increase in grocery cost, we are still having a lot of people call, ask for assistance, that either have had assistance in the past or maybe before COVID, they were kind of getting by, but now they're really struggling," May observed. The Department of Human Services can now request a special waiver to allow a household to qualify for SNAP benefits, but only for one year, and only once every five years.Ĭathy May, director of SNAP and WIC outreach for the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, applauded the change, noting food insecurity continues to steadily rise. High inflation since the pandemic prompted the Arkansas Senate majority to pass Temporary Relief Act 675. However, if you would like to get re-screened for SNAP to see if you are eligible for more benefits, you can reach out to our FoodSource Hotline or send us a chat message today.People may still be able to qualify for SNAP food benefits if they have up to $5,500 in assets, under a bill passed by the Arkansas Legislature. You are still enrolled in SNAP and your eligibility has not changed. This change is not the result of any actions on your part, nor is it a penalty for anything you’ve done. If you are currently getting SNAP you have likely already received or will receive a text from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and a letter in the mail informing you about these changes. ![]() The state has a dedicated website, /ExtraCOVIDSNAP, to provide information on the state-funded extra benefits and help households plan for the end of the temporary federal and state benefits. The state-funded extra SNAP benefits will be distributed on the following dates: April 7, May 2, June 2. The payment amount will equal up to 40% of the difference between a household’s maximum benefit amount for their household size and their regular monthly benefit amount, with a minimum amount of $38 a month. For example, households eligible for SNAP in March will receive the extra SNAP in early April. ![]() Massachusetts has passed a state supplemental budget providing an additional SNAP benefit allotment at a total of up to 40% of your previous extra COVID SNAP benefit amount for 3 months. The state-funded extra SNAP benefits will be available in the beginning of April, May, and June 2023 for the prior month. However, recent action by Congress is ending these additional federal benefits. The extra COVID SNAP benefits, also known as SNAP Emergency Allotments, are the difference between your normal benefit amount and the maximum amount for your household size. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, all SNAP households have been receiving temporary extra COVID SNAP benefits.
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