Massachusetts families that receive food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are set to receive extra payments.
Emergency SNAP benefits will end but Residents in Massachusetts will receive additional payments. (Photo: Cooking Light)
Massachusetts Families To Receive Additional Payments
The Healey administration announced that at least $38 will be added to each household’s payments. This announcement was made just a few days after the governor signed a spending bill aimed at creating an “offramp” for an expired federal enhancement to SNAP.
The Department of Transitional Assistance said that more than 650,000 households will receive payments worth up to 40% of the enhanced federal benefits, with the minimum set at $38, according to an article published in NEPM.
The legislature and Governor Maura Healey agreed on a $130 million plan to provide heightened monthly SNAP benefits for another three months.
The goal of the plan is to prevent Massachusetts families from experiencing a sharp and sudden decrease in benefits after the federal expansion ended. This plan will be implemented to ensure that the residents of the Bay State have access to adequate nutrition.
When Will They Begin to Disburse the Payments?
The Department of Transitional Assistance will begin disbursing the payments on Friday, April 7. Secretary Kate Walsh of Health and Human Services emphasized the importance of the SNAP program as the first line of defense against hunger. Additionally, the SNAP program supports local grocery stores and farmers.
In a published article in WBUR, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the economy, and many families in Massachusetts have been struggling to make ends meet. This is why programs like SNAP are critical to ensuring that families have access to food.
The extra payments are a welcome relief to many families that have been relying on SNAP benefits to help them put food on the table. The hope is that these extra payments will help to alleviate some of the economic hardships faced by Massachusetts families.
