BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The United States Department of Agriculture announced an emergency benefit increase has reached $2 billion per month for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households across all 50 states and three territories to increase food security, during the global pandemic.
According to Sonny Perdue, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, the benefit represents a 40% increase in overall monthly SNAP benefits, significantly increasing food purchasing power for American families.
Currently, a household with two adults, three children and no income can receive the maximum benefit of $768. However, due to reportable income and other factors, the average five-person household receives significantly less, $568.
The USDA says the emergency benefits would provide the average five-person household an additional $240 monthly in food purchasing power for up to two months.
All SNAP households that are eligible to receive less than the maximum benefit will receive the emergency allotment supplement to bring them up to the maximum.
