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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is going to see a historic increase in October when benefits are increased by 25% from the pre-pandemic levels. Starting in October, recipients will receive an extra $36 in average monthly benefits, which will now total $157.
Currently, more than 75% of people who receive SNAP benefits exhaust their monthly allotment within 15 days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"To set SNAP families up for success, we need a Thrifty Food Plan that supports current dietary guidance on a budget," said Stacy Dean, deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services. "Too many of our fellow Americans struggle to afford healthy meals. The revised plan is one step toward getting them the support they need to feed their families."
Congress temporarily increased the benefits by 15% in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but that increase is set to expire at the end of September.
The USDA made the change in response to the 2018 Farm Bill, which requires the agency to re-evaluate the Thrifty Food Plan by 2022, and every five years going forward to determine if the benefits are still enough to help feed a family of four. The last time the benefits were increased was in 2006.
SNAP benefits are used by roughly 42 million people, which equals about 12% of the total population.