CINCINNATI — February will be the last month the federal government's extra allotments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are available to Ohioans, according to a press release from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Households in Ohio have received emergency allotments in SNAP payments since March 2020, through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. In Hamilton County, commissioners said the change will affect more than 109,000 people living in Hamilton County.
The federal assistance provided extra monthly payments for SNAP in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but beginning in March SNAP recipients will receive just the one monthly payment.
"Recently passed federal legislation is bringing the temporary SNAP allotment to an end after February," said Matt Damschroder, director of ODJFS, in a press release. "We will be communicating to recipients, county agencies and our partners such as foodbanks that normal SNAP payment will resume in March."
Pre-pandemic, a household of three people would have received $180 a month in SNAP aid — but with the emergency allotment in place, that same family has been receiving $740 per month for the last three years.
The announcement to cut the emergency SNAP funding was made as families across the state grapple with rising food costs.
"Unfortunately, the sting of COVID continues because now we have inflation, I mean eggs are almost $9," said Alicia Reece, president of the Hamilton County Commission.
Hamilton County commissioners met Tuesday afternoon and discussed whether the county could provide assistance to help ease recipients' transition back to the single-payment system.
Hamilton County Jobs & Family Services stated there are over 52,000 people who are SNAP recipients in Hamilton County. @WCPO
— Jessica Hart WCPO (@JessicaHartTV) January 17, 2023
Commissioners said the 513 Relief Bus will be outside Corinthian Baptist Church on Jan. 26 to provide resources to those who need them. The county will also look into leftover funds on hand from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to see whether they can provide assistance through that for food pantries.
Commissioners also said the county would look at adjusting the Prevention, Retention and Contingency (PRC) program to see if the county can afford to provide a one-time relief payment for families affected.
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