Surprise $95 food stamps boost in January 2022 – here are the best ways to use your SNAP benefits
SURPRISE $95 food stamps are going out in January 2022 — here are the best ways to use your SNAP benefits.
If you're looking to use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase food this month, the extra money can now be used online.
Individuals who are eligible for the SNAP benefits can get the money loaded onto an EBT card and use the form of payment online.
Pilot programs for using EBT cards online began in 2017, and are now available in nearly all US states at retailers who have approval from the USDA, FL1 News explains.
And some retailers taking part in the program are Amazon, FreshDirect, InstaCart, ShopRite, and Walmart.
It's important to check what retailers accept EBT cards both in-store and online, as not all will allow purchases via the internet.
Additionally, individuals using EBT cards online may need to pick up the purchased items in person.
SNAP benefits can be used on produce, meat, dairy items, seafood, bread, snacks, cereal, nonalcoholic beverages, and seeds or plants that make food.
Meanwhile, more than three dozen states and territories have extended emergency food stamp support.
The extension comes as the Covid pandemic continues throughout the country.
Back in April 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that an extra $1billion per month had been allocated to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This program is also more widely known as food stamps.
These funds provide an increase in benefits to an estimated 25million people in low-income households that are struggling to put food on the table due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the amount of extra money eligible families may receive generally depends on family size, $95 is the minimum households must be given.
The $95 increase was scheduled to expire on September 30, 2021; however, some states have extended the monetary support.
Below are the 36 states and two territories that have opted to extend the benefits through January 2022:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Additional states may choose to acknowledge a benefits extension for February.
Who is eligible for food stamps?
According to USDA Food and Nutrition Service, the average SNAP benefit per household in 2021 was $210.07 a month.
However, a person's benefit amount and eligibility varies from state to state.
Read More on The US Sun
To find out if you are eligible, you will need to find your local SNAP program and social services agency to begin the application process.
In addition to SNAP, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) offers 15 nutrition assistance programs.