(The Center Square) – Following the passage of the Congressional budget, federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits have been reinstated across the country.
The state Department of Human Services announced it has already issued full payments for the month of November to about two million Pennsylvanians.
Pennsylvania was among a handful of states who moved quickly to start sending full payments between a ruling requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture to pay in full and a stay issued by the U.S. Supreme Court halting the process. The process was incomplete, but the ensuing legal limbo was ultimately short-lived thanks to the end of the budget stalemate in Washington.
DHS reported that it issued $276 million in payments on Thursday on top of those totaling $70 million issued Friday Nov. 7 before the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Trump administration’s request.
“DHS staff was working tirelessly during the shutdown to make sure we were ready to get benefits out to Pennsylvanians as soon as funding was authorized,” said DHS Secretary Val Arkoosh. “Once the federal shutdown ended, the DHS staff mobilized immediately to get these essential benefits out to SNAP recipients whose food assistance was disrupted by inaction from federal leadership, and I am grateful to say that because of this quick work, all unpaid November SNAP payments should now be on cards ready to be spent on food and groceries.”
The department hopes the payments will bring a much-needed infusion of cash to the state’s economy. They say 10,600 retailers at 38,000 locations accept SNAP. Recipients spend more than $350 million monthly with the benefit. Some store owners report that the majority of their income is from SNAP sales.
The payments should also provide some relief for the state’s charitable food network, which strained as the weight of hunger increased. Prior to the shutdown, hunger had already risen by 44% in Pennsylvania over the last two years. A disaster declaration and private fundraising efforts saw about seven million dollars make their way to food banks.
The state budget signed into law Wednesday includes $11 million dedicated to food security. The sum represents three million dollars for the State Food Purchase Program, one million for the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS), two million for a new state-wide Food Bucks program to supplement SNAP, and five million in new funding to Pennsylvania food banks.
