Governor Hochul Announces $232 Million in Additional Food Assistance for New Yorkers in March

 

All SNAP Households to Receive the Maximum Level of Food Benefits this Month 

More than 2.8 Million New Yorkers Relied on SNAP to Avoid Food Insecurity in January

 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 March. All households participating in SNAP—including those already at the maximum level of benefits —will receive a supplemental allotment this month, which will result in New York State's economy receiving roughly $232 million in federal funding. 

"No New Yorker should struggle to put food on the table," Governor Hochul said. "Ensuring eligible New Yorkers get the maximum level of food benefits will bring much-needed relief to millions of New Yorkers, ensuring no one gets left behind as our economic recovery moves forward."

SNAP households in all counties outside of New York City should see these extra benefits posted between now and the end of the day Thursday, March 17. Those SNAP households in the five-county New York City region should see their benefits post between Thursday, March 17, and Wednesday, March 30. 

The emergency assistance supplement is to be provided to households that do not ordinarily receive the maximum allowable benefit per month on SNAP - a federally funded program overseen by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Those households already near or at the maximum benefit level -$835 for a household of four -will receive a supplemental payment of at least $95.

New Yorkers continue to rely heavily on SNAP, with about 1.6 million households throughout the state enrolled in the program in January, a nearly 1 percent increase over the previous month. Roughly 2.8 million New Yorkers received benefits in January, the most since June 2021. 

OTDA began issuing the 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 allotment for all SNAP households until the expiration of the federal declaration, currently expected to be extended into May.

OTDA Commissioner Daniel W. Tietz said, "We continue to see strong demand for SNAP benefits, underscoring the economic struggles so many households are experiencing throughout our state. These supplemental benefits play an important role in helping households make ends meet and avoid food insecurity as our state continues to recover from the pandemic." 

OTDA distributed roughly $2.5 billion in supplemental benefits last year alone, underscoring the integral role this federal funding is playing in New York's economic recovery. Every federal dollar invested in SNAP is estimated to generate up to $1.54 in economic activity, according to a federal study quantifying the impact of SNAP on the U.S. economy.  

As with the prior months, the payments will be delivered directly to recipients' existing Electronic Benefit Transfer accounts and can be accessed with their existing EBT cards. Like regular SNAP benefits, the supplemental benefits can be used to purchase food at authorized retail food stores. Any unused SNAP benefits will automatically carry over to the following month.   

Find more information on the emergency supplemental SNAP benefits, including answers to frequently asked questions, here. New Yorkers can check their eligibility for SNAP and apply online by visiting mybenefits.ny.gov.