Governor Kathy Hochul announced Friday that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive the maximum allowable level of food benefits for May. 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.
The emergency assistance supplement is provided to all households, including those that generally receive the maximum benefit allowed per month in SNAP, a federally funded program overseen by the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
Those households already at or near the maximum benefit level ($835 for a household of four) will receive a supplemental payment of at least $95. These funds can also be used to purchase baby food and formula.
SNAP households in all counties outside of New York City should see these additional benefits posted by May 21. SNAP households in the New York City five-borough region should see their benefits posted by May 28.
“While New York continues to rebuild stronger than before, too many households are struggling with food insecurity,” Governor Hochul said in a statement.
“These funds will help ensure that countless families can avoid the harrowing prospect of food insecurity as we collectively work toward a more prosperous future for all New Yorkers,” he added.
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 July.
New Yorkers continue to rely heavily on SNAP, with more than 1.6 million households statewide enrolled in the program in February, a 1 percent increase from the previous month. More than 2.8 million New Yorkers received benefits in February, the most since June 2021.
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