Texas SNAP recipients to receive maximum amount of benefits for April and May
SNAP recipients in Texas will be able to receive the maximum allowable amount of benefits for the next two months, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday.
Texas Health and Human Services will provide more than $168 million in emergency benefits after receiving approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide the maximum amount based on family size, according to a news release.
That means SNAP recipients can receive the maximum amount allowed for their household — regardless of what they were receiving under normal circumstances. The maximum monthly SNAP allotment is $194 for a household of one, $355 for a household of two and $509 for a household of three, according to Texas Health and Human Services’ website.
Households that already receive the maximum monthly allotment for their household size are not eligible for an increase, according to the USDA’s approval of Texas’ request.
SNAP recipients will see the additional amount for April and May on their Lone Star Card by the 15th of the month. They will not need to take additional action to receive it, according to a news release.
“As the state continues to respond to COVID-19, we are working closely with our agency partners to ensure families have access to nutritious meals,” Abbott said in a statement. “These emergency benefits will give hundreds of thousands of Texans the additional support they need to provide for their families during this challenging time.”
Texas officials requested late last month that the USDA allow SNAP recipients to use their benefits at take-out and drive-through restaurants in Texas amid the novel coronavirus’ spread.
In March, over 3.3 million Texans were eligible for SNAP benefits, commonly referred to as food stamps, and more than 206,000 were eligible in Tarrant County alone, according to Texas Health and Human Services Commission data.
Texas Health and Human Services also announced late last month that SNAP and Medicaid benefits will be automatically renewed for existing clients. Because of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, households applying for benefits will not be required to complete an interview if verification steps are completed.
On Monday, Texas Health and Human Services announced that Texas WIC, the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, was immediately expanding the number of items eligible for participants to purchase to include more options for milk, bread, rice, pasta and eggs. In addition, canned fruits and vegetables were permanently added to the food package.
“SNAP has always been a safety net for households in their time of need. A pandemic will not stop our work to continue helping families purchase nutritious foods,” HHS Access and Eligibility Deputy Executive Commissioner Wayne Salter said in a statement Wednesday.
To qualify for SNAP benefits, Texans must meet certain requirements based on their income levels and more.
For example, for a single individual to qualify, they must have an annual household income — before taxes — that is equal to or less than $16,237, with the maximum income level increasing based on household size.
Although Texas Health and Human Services offices are open, the agency has encouraged Texans to apply for benefits, such as SNAP, Medicaid, TANF and WIC online to help facilitate social distancing measures. Texans can apply or review their benefits online at: YourTexasBenefits.com
