NYS announces $100M in additional food assistance for March
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) announced on Thursday that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will receive the maximum allowable level of food benefits for March. Roughly half of all households participating in SNAP will receive the supplemental allotment later this month, which will provide roughly $100 million into the state’s economy.
"Supplemental SNAP benefits have provided crucial support for families and individuals around New York State as they struggle through the global pandemic," said Mike Hein, commissioner of OTDA, which administers SNAP in New York State. "This infusion of federal dollars will help New Yorkers avoid food insecurity and bring welcome business to local retailers as our state embarks on the road to economic recovery."
Additionally, all SNAP recipients will continue to receive a 15% increase to benefits for March, which will be shown in their normal monthly allotment. With the 15% increase included, the maximum benefit level is $234 for an individual and $782 for a family of four. Federal legislation adopted in December provides for this increase to continue every month through June.
The emergency assistance supplement is provided to those SNAP households that do not normally receive the maximum allowable benefit per month. The additional food benefits will be distributed starting in the second week of March and continue through the end of the month.