SNAP Emergency Allotments are Ending: What to Know

Since March 2020, Congress temporarily increased SNAP benefits because of the COVID-19 public health emergency. SNAP Emergency Allotments were issued to households in addition to their normal monthly SNAP benefit amount. As a result, households received more SNAP benefits each month than they would have normally been eligible for based on their income and expenses.

Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 in December 2022 that ended the additional emergency SNAP benefits. February 2023 is the last month that supplemental EA benefits will be issued, and SNAP benefits will return to the normal amount in March 2023.

Background:

• In 2022, SNAP helped approximately 2.7 million people in New York State put food on the table during tough times.
• One out of every 6 people in the U.S. turned to the charitable food sector for help in 2021.
• This loss of benefits comes as families and individuals continue to face higher prices at the grocery store due to inflation.

The Impact:

• This expiration will reduce SNAP benefits by an average of $90 per person, per month.
• After the pandemic-era increase to SNAP benefits ends in February, at least $2.5 billion per month in food purchasing power will disappear from the American economy.
• We know this will exacerbate food insecurity for many people, especially those who ordinarily (under non-pandemic circumstances) receive a relatively low SNAP benefit amount, such as seniors.
• The end of this additional SNAP assistance will also exacerbate the strain Food Bank of Central New York and their network of community partners are under.

Action Steps:

• We urge lawmakers to strengthen SNAP benefits in a more permanent and sustainable way in the 2023 Farm Bill.

If you or your household are in need of food assistance or will be impacted by this reduction in SNAP benefits:

• Call 211, available 24 hours a day
• Contact Food Bank of Central New York's SNAP Outreach team to ensure you're maximizing deductions in your SNAP budget at (315) 437-1899.
• Use our Food Finder tool, available at fbcny.org/findfood.

Resources for Partner Agencies: