Food Bank of the Southern Tier Devises Plan to Combat SNAP EA Benefits Ending

At the end of the month, thousands of SNAP benefits recipients in the Southern Tier will see a reduction in benefits as the SNAP Emergency Allotment funding comes to an end nationwide.

Since March 2020, Congress temporarily increased SNAP benefits because of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Supplemental EA SNAP benefits were issued to households in addition to their normal monthly SNAP benefit amount. As a result, households received more SNAP benefits each month than they would have normally been eligible for based on their income and expenses.

Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 in December 2022 which ended the supplemental EA benefits. February 2023 is the last month that supplemental EA benefits will be issued, and SNAP benefits will return to the normal amount in March 2023.

To combat the loss, which is estimated by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities to be an average of $151 per household in New York State, the Food Bank of the Southern Tier plans to increase the number of available spots for its Mobile Food Pantries for the foreseeable future by approximately 300 families per month. Additionally, the Food Bank will work with its network of partner agencies to prepare for the expected increase in need, as well as circulate information on free grocery options.

Program cuts like these amplify the importance of the Food Bank’s continued advocacy efforts.

“At a time of record high inflation and demand for food bank services, New York State stands to lose $228 million in federal funds per month. We will do our best to address the increased need, but the reality is that charity alone cannot fill this gap,” says Randi Quackenbush, the Food Bank’s Vice President of Community Impact.

“SNAP is the nation’s first line of defense against hunger, and we urge our legislators to listen to and learn from those who have greatly benefited from the additional SNAP benefits throughout the pandemic. These funds are spent directly in communities, and for each $1 in SNAP, over $1.70 is generated in local economic activity.”

Advocating for a fully-funded SNAP Outreach program statewide, along with pushing for universal school meals for all K-12 students, and funding for programs such as Nourish New York and the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) are at the forefront of the Food Bank’s efforts in helping alleviate food insecurity.