Citizens in Mississippi receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will see an increase in the amount given monthly. This will start to reflect by October.
The Increase
The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) announced the SNAP benefits increase recently. According to them, households that have been certified based on meeting income and resource requirements will be eligible for the SNAP benefits increase, WJTV reported.
Officials added that the increase would depend on the household size to receive up to the increased maximum benefit amount.
Bob Anderson, Executive Director of MDHS, shared, “All households will receive additional pandemic emergency benefits up to the maximum monthly benefit, per household. Over 421,000 Mississippians will experience increased capacity to provide for their daily nutritional needs.” However, households that have already been certified to receive the maximum benefits for SNAP this month will no longer receive the increase.
The supplements will begin to reflect this October 2. The benefit will be available two days after case approval for households who applied for the SNAP benefits and have been approved just this month.
What Amount To Expect
For a two-person household, the maximum benefit based on the increase is $355. So, those who are currently receiving $200 per month will get the additional $155.
SNAP Benefits Helped Older Adults Defeat Food Insecurity During The Pandemic
During the pandemic, many senior citizens faced food insecurity because senior centers had to pause congregate meals, and food pantries reduced their hours or closed down, AARP reported. Jean Toth, executive director of the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, noted, “Seniors were forced to make choices and cut corners. And asking for help is always difficult, so hunger can sometimes be a very silent pain.”
Fortunately, during the pandemic, many seniors received a 15 percent increase for their SNAP maximum benefit. Now, they get roughly an additional $27 monthly increase per person. However, the fifteen percent increase expires this month. A new program was recently approved to replace the expiration of the increase. It is called the Thrifty Foods Plan formula, which determines how much money a household can receive in SNAP assistance. Through this formula, the largest benefit a one-person household could receive will be $250 per month.
Also Read: Food Stamp SNAP Benefits Will Increase By October: Here’s What You Need To Know
