Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive the maximum allowable level of food benefits for July. All households participating in SNAP — including those already at the maximum level of benefits — will receive a supplemental allotment this month, resulting in a roughly $234 million infusion of federal funding into the New York State economy.
“Far too many New Yorkers are still struggling with food insecurity as a result of the economic toll from COVID-19,” Governor Hochul said. “These additional food benefits will help hundreds of thousands of households make ends meet each month, while also providing a welcome economic boost to food retailers still recovering from the effects of the pandemic.”
“SNAP food benefits are a lifeline for many New Yorkers who can’t afford to put food on the table as the price of groceries continue to be inflated,” said Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado. “The supplemental allotment being provided to existing food benefit enrollees will be a true life for New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet.”
SNAP households in all counties outside of New York City should see these extra benefits post between today and Friday, July 22. Those SNAP households in the five-county New York City region should see their benefits post between Tuesday, July 19, and Saturday, July 30.
The emergency assistance supplement will be provided to all households, including those that ordinarily receive the maximum allowable benefit per month on SNAP, a federally funded program overseen by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Households already near or at the maximum benefit level — $835 for a household of four — will receive a supplemental payment of at least $95.
SNAP plays an important role in New York’s ongoing economic recovery and has injected more than $1.2 billion into the state’s economy since January. Every federal dollar invested by SNAP generates up to $1.54 in economic activity, according to a federal study quantifying the impact of SNAP on the U.S. economy.
OTDA began issuing the emergency supplemental benefits in April 2020 to those SNAP households receiving less than the maximum monthly benefit amount. When New York State’s emergency declaration expired in June 2021, the agency successfully worked with the federal government to secure the maximum allotment for all SNAP households until the expiration of the federal declaration, which is now expected to extend until October.
These benefits are also a critical lifeline for New Yorkers in need, as about 14 percent of the state’s population relied on SNAP benefits last year according to a recent study. More than half of recipient households were families with children and about 48 percent included an adult over the age of 55 or a person with a disability.
New Yorkers continued to rely heavily on SNAP this spring, with more than 1.6 million households, including more than 2.8 million New Yorkers, throughout the state enrolled in the program in May.
New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Daniel W. Tietz said, “Households that were struggling before the pandemic were disproportionately affected by the resulting economic fallout of the public health crisis and are now finding their food dollar stretched even thinner because of rising costs. These additional benefits are providing welcome relief to these New Yorkers each month, as we collectively work toward building a stronger state economy for all.”
As with the prior months, the payments will be delivered directly to recipients’ existing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) accounts and can be accessed with their existing EBT cards. Like regular SNAP benefits, the supplemental benefits can be used to purchase food at authorized retail food stores. Any unused SNAP benefits will automatically carry over to the following month.
Find more information on the emergency supplemental SNAP benefits, including answers to frequently asked questions, here. New Yorkers interested in enrolling can check their SNAP eligibility, as well as apply online, by visiting mybenefits.ny.gov.
