SNAP benefits returning to pre-pandemic issuances

Staff Report
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Wayne County Department of Job and Family Services
Wayne County Department of Job and Family Services

WOOSTER − Additional payments to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients, known as emergency allotments, during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) will cease at the end of February and revert to pre-pandemic issuances beginning in March.

SNAP replaced the Food Stamp Program in 2008 and is intended to serve as an aid to boost access to nutritional grocery items to food-insecure families. Currently, in Wayne County, there are about 8,500 people the move will impact.

“We expect a lot of confusion during the transition of SNAP back to pre-pandemic levels,” said Wayne County Job and Family Services (WCJFS) Income Administrator Kelly Moorhead, in a news release.

According to Moorhead, the additional payments have been in place since the public health crisis was declared in 2020, they were automatic, and if the recipients followed through with their required reapplication process and still qualified for any amount for SNAP, they would continue to receive the emergency allotments as well.

“Since 2020, you would get your benefit, plus additional assistance that would take it up to the maximum allotment in their situation,” Moorhead said. “Those that signed up for SNAP benefits during the PHE may not realize that they have been receiving an emergency allotment in addition to the amount they are actually eligible to receive. They may think that a mistake was made on their case or some problem occurred when the benefit loads to their SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.”

Wayne County Job and Family Services Director Richard Owens urges those receiving SNAP emergency allotments to contact his office and update their records.

“We knew the emergency allotments would end at some point,” Owens said in the release. “We don’t want people to be surprised by this. The most important thing for people to do is contact us to update your address and phone number so we can communicate the changes to you.”

Owens said the economic impact on the county from the emergency allotments totals about $1million per month.

To contact WCJFS, call 330-287-5800, email waynecountyjfs@jfs.ohio.gov or visit www.waynecountydjfs.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: SNAP to revert to pre-pandemic issuances at end of February