All SNAP Recipients Will Receive Maximum Food Benefits for the Month
More than $2.9 Billion in Food Assistance Distributed Statewide since April 2020
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will receive the maximum allowable level of food benefits for September. Governor Hochul also directed the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which administers SNAP in New York State, to continue working with the federal government to ensure these supplemental benefits will reach households in need throughout the fall.
«The pandemic has been economically painful for countless households across New York, and we cannot allow our vulnerable residents to face the prospect of hunger or food insecurity – especially through a public health crisis,» Governor Hochul said. «These emergency food benefits are helping New Yorkers to make ends meet and to feed their families, while also infusing critical federal funding into our state’s economy.
Commissioner Mike Hein said, «No New Yorker should face the heart-wrenching prospect of food insecurity – especially during a protracted public health crisis. These added food benefits have provided a critical lifeline for struggling households throughout New York by helping families and individuals put food on the table as we continue to navigate the ongoing pandemic.»
SNAP households in all counties outside of New York City should see these benefits post starting this week and extending through Sept. 24. Those SNAP households in the five-county New York City region should see their benefits post between Sept. 16 and the end of the month.
SNAP households already receiving the maximum monthly benefit, and those that had been receiving an emergency allotment of less than $95 per month, will receive a minimum supplement of $95. Nearly 1.6 million households in New York State will receive the supplemental benefits this month, which will result in the state receiving roughly $200 million in federal assistance.
As during prior months, the payments will be delivered directly to recipients’ existing Electronic Benefit Transfer account and can be accessed with their existing EBT card. Like regular SNAP benefits, the supplemental benefits can be used to purchase food at authorized retail food stores. Any unused SNAP benefits will be automatically carried over to the following month.
OTDA obtained approval from the federal government to extend emergency allotment based on the continued public need due to COVID-19. As a result, New Yorkers will continue to receive maximum SNAP benefit for as long as the federal emergency declaration continues in 2021.
Struggling New Yorkers continue to rely heavily on SNAP as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. As of July 2021, there were nearly 2.8 million SNAP recipients throughout the state, a 1.8 percent increase from July 2020. The added SNAP benefits have brought more than $2.9 billion in federal funding to New York State since the pandemic began.
For more information on the emergency supplemental SNAP benefits, including answers to frequently asked questions, visit OTDA’s website here. New Yorkers can check their eligibility for SNAP and apply online here.