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Emergency SNAP benefits set to expire soon

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Grocery shopping will soon get tougher for millions of families across the country, as emergency food benefits are set to expire. That includes here in the DMV.

According to the USDA, “the temporary boost to SNAP benefits put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, known as emergency allotments, will end nationwide after the February 2023 issuance.”

SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, assists low-income families in purchasing food.

For the last three years, families who receive SNAP benefits have gotten roughly $95 extra per month.

“It’s really, really hard and difficult to try and make it through the month. Them cutting it will make it a lot harder for us to make it,” said Shavonne Banks.

Banks is a single mother of two. She said the cut is another blow, as food prices continue to rise.

“Usually about $500 to $600 would last throughout the month for us, but it’s been a huge increase. So it’s probably $800 to $1,000 being spent just for a three person household,” she said. “It’s been very frustrating.”              

The USDA also said that families who receive Social Security can expect their SNAP benefits to decrease even more, as the Social Security benefit has increased.

“It’s going to affect a lot of families as well and people that we do know,” said Gwendolyn Washington.

Washington does not personally receive SNAP benefits. However, she is worried about the impact this will have on the community.

“A lot of children will suffer,” she said. “I think it’s going to cause crime to rise even more, I do, I really do.”

“I wish they would come up with a better solution than to cut it,” said Banks. “Maybe they could figure out the inflation, what’s causing it. What’s going to do. Because I’m pretty sure there’s a lot of families out there that suffering from this.”