Local leaders, food banks scrambling to help low-income Americans with extra SNAP payments ending soon
NEW YORK -- Politicians and food bank leaders are scrambling to make up for shrinking SNAP benefits.
More commonly known as food stamps, the federal program was boosted for COVID, but at the end of February, bank balances get reduced and in some cases almost disappear for low-income Americans.
South Bronx resident Wilbert Moore gets lunch every day from a soup kitchen in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood.
"I just come down to get something to eat," he said.
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He struggles to afford groceries since losing his job as a licensed hospital custodian.
He relies on federal SNAP benefits, saying he gets "anywhere from $100 and something to around $200" every month.
But that is about to shrink.
Included in the benefit is $95 extra that was kicked in by the feds in April 2021 to help during the pandemic.
But this past December, Congress passed a spending bill that stops the extra SNAP payments at the end of this month.
At Church of the Holy Apostle, the weekly numbers are at an all-time high -- 700 families helped. Holy Apostle's soup kitchen is averaging 1,000 meals handed out on the sidewalk every day.
"We continue to see more and more, week after week," said Michael Ottley, chief operating officer for Holy Apostle Soup Kitchen and Pantry.
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The end of the food stamp supplement comes as inflation pushes food prices about 10%.
"If you're only getting $200 SNAP benefits, how much can you buy?" Ottley said. "A dozen eggs was $8 ... A gallon of milk is $4 or $5."
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation Wednesday to increase minimum SNAP benefits across the board from the current $50 minimum to $95, and on Friday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a supplemental payment for New York SNAP recipients -- at least $95, but only for February.
"We'll make it work. We'll figure it out," Ottley said.
He says it will be difficult, but his mission to prevent hunger must not fail.
For more information on how to apply for SNAP benefits, visit the following links: