May 25, 2023 |COVID-19, Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Health & Wellness, News, Resources, SNAP Benefits, State of MA

State Funded Extra SNAP Benefits ending in June

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Due to federal action, extra COVID SNAP benefits ended on March 2nd, 2023. The good news is that the State of MA has been providing extra SNAP (at least $38/month) since then, but this ends in June.

The federal extra COVID SNAP benefits were the difference between your normal benefit amount and the maximum amount for your household size, with a minimum amount of $95 a month. These benefits were known as SNAP Emergency Allotments. They were available March 2020 through February 2023. The temporary benefit program was made available under the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act. Recent action by the federal government (through the Congressional Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023) ended the extra COVID SNAP benefits as of February 2023. This means that households received their last payment on March 2, 2023.

Since March 2020, Massachusetts has been providing extra federal COVID SNAP benefits. To continue providing assistance and to help families buy food while food prices are high, the state is funding extra SNAP benefits for three months. The last federal extra COVID SNAP payment was March 2, 2023. In April, May, and June you will get your normal monthly SNAP benefit and the extra state-funded SNAP benefit as a separate payment.

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The state-funded extra SNAP benefits are up to 40% of the difference between your normal monthly SNAP benefit amount and the maximum SNAP amount for your household size, with a minimum amount of $38 a month. These extra benefits are the same as normal SNAP benefits – you will receive them on your EBT card and can use them to buy food at any approved SNAP retailer (e.g., local grocery store, online, or at a farmers’ market). You will see these payments in your normal SNAP balance.

The extra benefit is a separate payment from your normal monthly SNAP benefit amount. You still receive your normal SNAP benefit on your normal monthly issuance date. The last extra state-funded SNAP payment will be on June 2, 2023. Starting in July, your household will get only one SNAP payment. That amount is your normal monthly benefit. You can get your normal benefit amount on DTA Connect or by listening to the information about your case by calling the DTA Assistance Line:

• Call 877-382-2363
• Choose your language
• Press 1 and authenticate
• Press 1 for SNAP
• Press 1 again to hear your case summary. This information includes your normal monthly benefit amount.

The above information is courtesy of the MA Department of Transitional Assistance.