The U.S. Congress approved SNAP emergency allotments, which will be available starting in March 2020, to assist low-income individuals and families in coping with the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. The federal government granted emergency allotments to households qualifying for the NJ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the pandemic. These allotments amounted over $2 billion and gave households increased monthly food assistance benefits. Starting in March, households receiving SNAP benefits will only have their regular payments loaded to their EBT cards; the minimum monthly benefit in New Jersey will be $50.
As the federal emergency allotments are coming to an end, Governor Murphy signed legislation in June creating the State SNAP Minimum Benefit Program and setting the SNAP minimum benefit, which guarantees that all SNAP participants would receive at least $50 per month in assistance. The first state to establish a minimum benefit was New Jersey, which did so after investing $18 million in state funds.
All SNAP households will get letters in February informing them of the benefit cut and reminding them that their regular benefit amount will resume in March. A SNAP household will get their regular monthly benefit along with an additional state supplement to increase their total SNAP benefits to $50 under the new minimum benefit program if they were authorized for less than $50; $23 is the minimum federal SNAP benefit.
Concerned SNAP recipients should review if they qualify for other food assistance programs, such as WIC for pregnant women and young children, free or reduced-price lunches at schools, or the commodities supplemental food program for seniors over 60.
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