SNAP Benefits Update: Are Your Children Eligible for $391 Food Payments?

More than 42 states and territories across the United States have partnered with the Department of Agriculture for another SNAP benefits update that would benefit children.

Agriculture Department noted in its press release that around 32 million children will be covered by approximately $12.5 billion for temporary nutrition benefits. Like SNAP benefits payment, the program will be issued through electronic benefit transfer, known as the EBT.

Summer P-EBT aims to curb summer hunger through the issuance of these benefits, which are even more critical due to the rising inflation.

The USDA's Food and Nutrition Service administrator, Cindy Long, noted that providing food and nutrition to children is their "year-round missing," adding that they are proud to partner with states and territories to provide food benefits this summer. Long added that they hope all states will adopt the program.

The Department of Agriculture is already providing low-cost or free lunches to children in around 100,000 public and nonprofit private schools through its National School Lunch Program. The program covers those in kindergarten through the 12th grade, according to The Hill report.

Agriculture Department has created P-EBT as students who relied on meals through their school lost that benefit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Summer P-EBT

Children may qualify for Summer P-EBT if they are under the age of six and live in a household with an active Basic Food Assistance account between Sept. 1, 2021, and Jun. 30, 2022.

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services' fact sheet noted that eligible children will receive a benefit of $43 for each month they are in a household active on Basic Food. The maximum P-EBT allotment is worth $430.

School children who were registered and enrolled in June 2022 in a Washington school and normally participate in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program can receive a Summer P-EBT benefit of $391.

P-EBT benefits are automatically removed after 274 days of non-use and cannot be replaced, encouraging families to immediately use their P-EBT benefits.

SNAP Benefits 2022

Households receiving SNAP benefit payments can also receive emergency allotments as stated under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. State agencies administering SNAP benefits can issues EA payments too on a month-to-month basis to all SNAP households.

Households that are at or near the maximum SNAP benefit receive little or no additional support, as reported by Go Banking Rates. Emergency allotments can be distributed as long as there is a public health emergency declaration instilled in respective states.

States may also choose to provide the monthly emergency allotments, with health emergencies declaration can be extended for 90 days at a time. The current public health emergency declaration is set to expire on October 13.

States that have extended their emergency SNAP allotments for September include Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, and Washington, among others.

SNAP benefits can be used to buy food items such as fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, bread, cereals, snack foods, non-alcoholic beverages, and produce food.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: 31 STATES APPROVED! New August $391 + $375 P-EBT Summer 2022 Benefits Update | SNAP AUGUST 2022 - from Credit Viral