(WAND) - The federal government is increasing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by 40 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday.
The change brings emergency benefit increases to $2 billion per month, according to a USDA press release. The increase is active for all 50 states and three United States territories.
“These are unprecedented times for American families who are facing joblessness and hunger. USDA is providing a 40% increase in SNAP benefits to ensure that low-income individuals have enough food to feed themselves and their families during this national emergency,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “President Trump is taking care of America’s working-class families who have been hit hard with economic distress due to the coronavirus. Ensuring all households receive the maximum allowable SNAP benefit is an important part of President Trump’s whole of America response to the coronavirus.”
The USDA said current rules allow a home with two adults three children and no income to claim a maximum benefit of $768. Because of reportable income and other factors, the average 5-person American household gets much less ($528).
The raised SNAP benefits would give households an additional $240 per month, bringing them to the same level as households taking in the maximum. The law does not permit households to take in more than the maximum allotment.
The issuance of emergency allotments in response to the virus was made possible by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which President Trump signed into law.
Click here for more information about SNAP benefits and other USDA initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
