Emergency SNAP benefits end Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know and who can help.
Buying food is hard enough right now, but about 900,000 families across North Carolina will suffer another blow as Congress ends a COVID-19 benefit that helped keep food on their tables.
On Wednesday, March 1, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program’s emergency funds offered during the COVID-19 pandemic will end.
Some across the state are scrambling to figure out how to feed themselves and their children. Other’s hadn’t even heard the program was ending.
We break down what you need to know.
Why are the benefits expiring?
Congress authorized the SNAP emergency allotments in 2020 to help low-income households manage difficulties they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawmakers voted last year to end the emergency allotments after February 2023.
Are all SNAP benefits going away?
No. Only the emergency allotments are going away. The emergency allotments increased the amount of SNAP benefits each individual or family received. Those on the program will go back to the benefits they received before the pandemic.
This will drop a person’s food benefits, on average, from $8.12 per day to $5.45 per day.
How many people are affected?
In North Carolina, an average of 900,000 families used the SNAP program each month. In February, there were 813,076 people enrolled.
Can I check my benefits?
On March 1, you can go to ebtedge.com to check your new amounts. There are also apps available in the Apple Store and Google Play. Totals can also be checked by calling the EBT Call Center at 1-888-622-7328.
Need more help?
The Wake County Division of Human Services has a website for those who need help securing food. It includes a map of churches and community groups near you that may offer food.
Wake County DHS employees highlight Kirk of Kildaire Church in Cary, a popular resource among the Hispanic community, and one that allows DHS to pair vaccination events with food distribution events.
Outside of Wake County, individuals and families can visit the state’s website for more information on where to get food assistance, call 211 or visit nc211.org.
Don’t forget to renew
Several factors play into your SNAP allotment, including your current income and household size.
During the pandemic, the state Department of Health and Human Services paused recertification for SNAP, which is also known in North Carolina as Food and Nutrition Services or FNS. That means people could continue receiving benefits without filling out a form to certify that they were eligible.
But recertification starts again in April for everyone who receives SNAP benefits, as well as everyone on Medicaid. That includes more than 200,000 Wake County residents.
Letters will be sent directly to you, and you can update your information in Wake County by visiting this website. In other counties, contact your caseworker or your local division office or visiting ebtedge.com.
This story was originally published February 27, 2023 at 12:37 PM.