Governor Hochul Announces $234 Million in Additional Food Assistance for May

 

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

Nearly $1 Billion in Supplemental Benefits Distributed Since 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 May. All households participating in SNAP – including those already at the maximum level of benefits – will receive a supplemental allotment this month, resulting in a roughly $234 million infusion of federal funding into the New York State economy. 

"While New York continues to build back stronger than before, there are far too many households struggling with food insecurity,” Governor Hochul said. "By providing the maximum level of food benefits to those in need, we can help struggling households make ends meet and keep food on the table. This funding will help ensure countless families can avoid the heart-wrenching prospect of food insecurity as we collectively work toward a more prosperous future for all New Yorkers.”  

The emergency assistance supplement is provided to all households, including those that 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. 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 extra benefits post by May 21. Those SNAP households in the five-county New York City region should see their benefits post by May 28.   

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, which is now expected to be extended into July.   

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

Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Daniel W. Tietz said, “No individual or family should be left wondering whether they have the resources to put healthy, nutritious food on the table each month. The additional food benefits provided throughout the public health crisis have played an integral role in helping to allay this uncertainty, while simultaneously helping local businesses and retailers recover throughout our state.”