SNAP Benefits Schedule: When Is Your March 2023 Food Stamp Arriving?

February is about to end, and many people are now wondering on when will they receive their March 2023 SNAP benefits. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps millions of low-income Americans save money and stretch their food budget.

According to GoBanking Rates, this new batch of benefits should be released on the same date as previous months. However, it will depend on the SNAP schedule of every state or territory. The SNAP benefits are being paid by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, though the cost of administering the program is being split with each state and territory.

The SNAP benefits will be deposited monthly into your SNAP account. If you are eligible for SNAP benefits, you will receive an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card from your state's SNAP agency. The names of the cards vary from state to state. EBT cards are connected to SNAP accounts and work just like debit cards.

Reduction on SNAP Benefits March 2023

The increase in SNAP benefits will end this month. The SNAP benefits boosted during the COVID-19 pandemic are going away. Thus, millions of Americans benefitting from the increased SNAP benefits will see a decrease in federal food assistance in March.

According to NPR, SNAP beneficiaries will receive about $90 less each month on average, but some beneficiaries will see a cut as high as $250 a month. One elderly SNAP beneficiary said the additional benefits from the pandemic eventually became inflation relief as groceries prices increased.

"For me, personally, when they reduce these food stamps next month, it's going to be a lot harder," SNAP beneficiary Carlis Ferris, who is in her mid-60s, told NPR.

Like Ferris, many Americans rely on Social Security as their main source of income, and the cuts would mean that she and many others would have to cut back on expenses.

Dorothy Rosenbaum, a senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said the cuts will "increase hardship for many individuals and families, especially given the modest amount of regular SNAP benefits, which are only about $6 per person per day on average."

Some States Already Ended the Increased SNAP Benefits Before March

Before the scheduled cuts for SNAP benefits next month, several states had already ended the pandemic benefits. Around 18 states have already reduced the SNAP benefits early, such as Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming.

However, the AARP reported that some states might opt to use their own funds to provide residents with higher benefits than the federal minimum.

Like in New Jersey, SNAP beneficiaries in the state will receive a minimum of $95 a month starting in March, which is an increase of $72 a month over the $23 federal minimum monthly. Some states are reportedly now considering similar legislation.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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