Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive the maximum allowable level of food benefits for July.
All households participating in SNAP, including those already at the maximum benefit level, will receive an additional allocation this month, resulting in an injection of approximately $234 million in federal funds into the New York State economy.
“Too many New Yorkers are still struggling with food insecurity as a result of the economic toll of COVID-19,” Governor Hochul said.
“These additional food benefits will help hundreds of thousands of households make ends meet each month, while also providing a welcome economic boost to food retailers still reeling from the effects of the pandemic,” he added.
SNAP households in all counties outside of New York City should see these additional benefits posted between now and Friday, July 22.
SNAP households in the New York City five-borough region should see their benefits posted between Tuesday, July 19 and Saturday, July 30.
The emergency assistance supplement will be provided to all households, including those that normally receive the maximum benefit allowed per month in SNAP, a federally funded program overseen by the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
Households already near or at the maximum benefit level ($835 for a household of four) will receive a supplemental payment of at least $95.
SNAP plays an important role in New York’s ongoing economic recovery and has pumped more than $1.2 billion into the state’s economy since January. Every federal dollar spent by SNAP generates up to $1.54 in economic activity, according to a federal study that quantifies the impact of SNAP on the US economy.
OTDA began issuing emergency supplemental benefits in April 2020 to those SNAP households receiving less than the maximum monthly benefit amount. When New York State’s emergency declaration expired in June 2021, the agency successfully worked with the federal government to secure the maximum allocation for all SNAP households through the expiration of the federal declaration, which is now expected to be extended. until October.
These benefits are also vital for New Yorkers in need, as about 14 percent of the state’s population needed SNAP benefits last year, according to a recent study. More than half of beneficiary households were families with children, and about 48 percent included an adult over the age of 55 or a person with a disability.
New Yorkers continued to rely heavily on SNAP this spring, with more than 1.6 million households, including more than 2.8 million New Yorkers, statewide enrolled in the program in May.
As in previous months, payments will be sent directly to beneficiaries’ existing Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) accounts and can be accessed with their existing EBT cards. Just like regular SNAP benefits, supplemental benefits can be used to buy food at authorized retail food stores. Any unused SNAP benefits will automatically roll over to the next month.
New Yorkers interested in signing up can check the requirements for SNAP, as well as apply online, by visiting mybenefits.ny.gov.
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