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Massachusetts households to see first extra state-funded food aid
BOSTON – With extra federal aid ending, families in the Bay State will now see extra aid from the state instead.
Individuals and families in Massachusetts will receive their first state-funded extra Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payment on April 7, 2023, following Governor Healey’s signing of a supplemental budget that includes $130 million to create an offramp from the extra COVID SNAP benefits, known as SNAP Emergency Allotments. The Congressional Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 ended these payments as of February 2023 and Massachusetts households received their last federal payment on March 2, 2023.
“I want to thank the legislature for supporting this proposal and their on-going partnership in promoting food security across the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh. “SNAP is the first line of defense against hunger – and also supports our local grocery stores and farmers. The Healey-Driscoll Administration is a leader among states in providing households with an offramp to the abrupt end of the federal extra SNAP benefits and will continue to prioritize food security in Massachusetts through initiatives like this.”
“We have heard from many families on how vital the federal extra COVID SNAP benefits have been in Massachusetts to help buy food that met their nutritional and cultural needs. These extra state-funded payments will be a critical offramp to the federal benefits and will support over 650,000 households at a time of high food prices,” said Acting DTA Commissioner Mary Sheehan. “The Administration is working to get these benefits out as quickly as possible.”
The state-funded extra SNAP benefits will be available in the beginning of April, May, and June 2023 for the prior month. For example, households eligible for SNAP in March will receive the extra SNAP in early April. As directed by the supplemental budget, the payment amount will equal up to 40% of the difference between a household’s maximum benefit amount for their household size and their regular monthly benefit amount, with a minimum amount of $38 a month.
The state has a dedicated website, Mass.gov/ExtraCOVIDSNAP, to provide information on the state-funded extra benefits and help households plan for the end of the temporary federal and state benefits. Individuals and families should explore any previously unreported expenses that may increase their regular SNAP benefits and tell DTA about them right away, including:
-If they have medical costs over $35 a month for anyone in their SNAP household who is 60 or older or has a disability,
-If their housing costs have gone up (rent/mortgage), and
-If one is working, looking for work, or in school, tell DTA about any child or disabled adult care costs.
Households can tell DTA about these changes by uploading information via the agency’s free mobile app and online portal DTA Connect, calling the DTA Assistance Line at 877-382-2363, visiting a local DTA office, or working with one of the department’s over 100 SNAP outreach partners. SNAP outreach partners are local community organizations who work with DTA to help people apply for and maintain their SNAP benefits.
Also, Massachusetts households who receive SNAP benefits can automatically participate in the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP). HIP puts money back on an EBT card when SNAP is used to buy local fruits and vegetables from HIP farm vendors, up to $40, $60 or $80 a month depending on household size. Find a HIP vendor at DTAFinder.com.
More resources available to help individuals and families:
Community Food Resources: call or text Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline, 1-800-645-8333
If you have children under age 5/are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may be eligible for the WIC nutrition program: Mass.gov/WIC or call 800-942-1007
All K-12 students can get free school meals this school year
Rent or mortgage help: Call 2-1-1 or go to Mass.gov/covidhousinghelp
Fuel Assistance help paying for heat: go to Toapply.org/MassLIHEAP or call 800-632-8175
Money to help pay for the internet or a computer: GetInternet.gov, AccedeAInternet.gov
Get help with 2022 taxes and any COVID stimulus or Child Tax Credit money you are owed: FindYourFunds.org
If you have children/are pregnant and have no income or low income, you may be able to get TAFDC cash benefits. If you are 65 or older or disabled with no or very low income you may be able to get EAEDC cash benefits. Learn more/apply: DTAConnect.com
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Poorhouse Joe
March 31, 2023 at 5:37 pm
How about raise the income standards for snap or higher our wages since everything else in the world was raised. This should have been taken into account and not neglected, unlike rent raising, gas prices, and food. How about give people who actually want to work and struggle with your costs a break, instead of favoring panhandling junkies and criminals who are off the radar and live tax free. It’s what this establishment encourages people to be.
I Hate MAGA'ts
April 1, 2023 at 9:27 am
Maybe because the majority of people collecting food stamps work and have families! You want to get people off of food stamps raise the minimum wage to a living wage. And don’t say we can’t afford it because we’re the richest country in the world except the rich buy the politicians so they can have extreme tax cuts that we don’t get. Do you vote for those type of politicians, Republicans?
So you’re poor why don’t you pull yourself up by your bootstraps like the conservatives are always telling you to do??? Pretty tough to do when employers can pay slave wages! Oh are you one of these people that believe people don’t deserve a living wage because your skilled job isn’t paying you enough? It’s your own fault for not having a union or being too chicken to talk to your boss and tell them you need more money. That’s what I have to do. I work for a small company and I usually get what I ask for because they can’t afford to lose me.
https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2014/03/17/who-uses-food-stamps-millions-of-kids-thats-who.html
Mg
April 2, 2023 at 3:05 pm
Ok this is good for families in need. What about we elder generation, husband has worked over 50yrs still part time to pay for insurance benefits and government says we earn too much to qualify? I’m not able to work. We could use help with cost of living, food taxes, mortgage. We struggle just as much with no help cost of living is crazy, needs of medications is crazy?