WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor Carney and Lt. Governor Hall-Long on Wednesday announced a partnership with the Food Bank of Delaware to fill community food pantries statewide and hold food drives in each county for three months to help ease the transition from the ending of the federal Emergency benefits for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households. The Food Bank will help bridge the gap as SNAP families transition away from pandemic-related benefit increases.

In partnership with the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, the Food Bank of Delaware will be awarded $3.24 million of American Rescue Plan funding to provide these services.

“This funding will help stock shelves at local food pantries statewide, and it’ll support large drive-thru mobile pantries in each county to help Delaware families transition after the recent federal change to food benefits,” said Governor Carney. “Unwinding COVID-19 programs is a good sign, and this should help ease the transition. We’re grateful to the Food Bank of Delaware for their partnership to help bridge the gap over the next few months.”

“I have heard the concerns of families and communities throughout Delaware as emergency SNAP benefits end. Many families are already struggling to put food on the table,” said Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long. “This partnership with the Food Bank of Delaware will help ease the burden of the increased food hardship on these families as they transition back to regular benefit levels.”

The Food Bank of Delaware will announce the mobile food pantry distribution events in the coming weeks. Volunteers can look for additional information on the Food Bank of Delaware’s volunteer scheduling website (www.fbd.volunteerhub.com) Local and community food pantries can be found by visiting delaware211.org, texting their zip code to 898-211 or calling “2-1-1.”

“We are always stronger as a community when we partner together. We are grateful for our partners in state government who care deeply about our community’s most vulnerable,” said Food Bank of Delaware President and CEO Cathy Kanefsky. “When emergency SNAP benefits were first issued at the start of the pandemic, I don’t think any of us imagined that grocery prices would be so high due to inflation. Due to these increased costs, we are serving more people now than at the height of the pandemic. We hope these additional resources will provide much relief to our neighbors.”

As of March 1, 2023, SNAP households will receive their regular monthly food benefit amount on the normal issuance date and will no longer receive additional emergency food benefits on their EBT cards at the end of each month. Due to a change in federal law passed in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, the final emergency benefits SNAP payment was issued on February 28, 2023.

“We know the end of federal Emergency Food Benefits is going to be hard on Delawareans who receive SNAP benefits,” said Secretary for the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services Molly Magarik. “We hope this partnership with the Food Bank of Delaware will help relieve some of the burden now faced by SNAP households in our state as they deal with fewer benefits and higher food costs.”

More information and resources around this change can be found at de.gov/snapchanges.

###

Available to All SNAP Households and to Eligible TANF and General Assistance Households

NEW CASTLE (Aug. 24, 2021) – The Delaware Division of Social Services will issue emergency benefits for August to eligible households as part of the state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Benefits will be issued as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and two cash assistance programs – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and General Assistance (GA). The SNAP emergency food benefit will be issued Wednesday, Aug. 25, and should be available on recipients’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards Thursday, Aug. 26. TANF and GA households should receive an emergency cash benefit check on or after Wednesday, Aug. 25.

All households with open SNAP cases will receive at least $95 in emergency food benefits, to be issued as follows:
1. SNAP households receiving the maximum food benefit amount for their household size will receive $95 in emergency food benefits.
2. SNAP households with a calculated emergency food benefit amount less than $95 will have their emergency benefit increased to $95.
3. SNAP households with a calculated emergency benefit amount of $95 or more will continue to receive the calculated emergency benefit amount to increase the household’s monthly benefit up to the maximum benefit amount for their household size.

The emergency assistance for TANF and GA families will increase a household’s monthly benefit for each program up to the maximum benefit amount for their household size. Households that already receive the maximum TANF or GA benefit amount or that have a prorated benefit in the month of August are not eligible for the August emergency cash funds.

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has issued emergency benefits each month to eligible households as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, which was signed into law in March 2020.

“Just last week, members of my leadership team and I had the opportunity to tour the Food Bank of Delaware’s Glasgow location,” said DHSS Secretary Molly Magarik. “Food Bank leaders told us how crucial the food assistance that they provide continues to be for so many Delaware individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. At DHSS, we know that the emergency food and cash benefits that we distribute are another critical piece to keeping people fed, healthy and safe. We are grateful for the federal and state funding that allows us to provide these safety net programs at emergency levels.”

How the monthly emergency benefit is calculated: A household’s monthly emergency benefit equals the current maximum benefit amount for the household size minus the household’s current monthly benefit amount. For example, based on current USDA limits for SNAP benefits, if a household of one gets $100 in regular monthly benefits, that household will receive $134 in emergency benefits ($234 maximum benefit minus $100 monthly benefit).

Here are the current maximum monthly benefit amounts per household size for SNAP, TANF, and General Assistance:

Emergency SNAP Benefits

An estimated 56,700 Delaware households will receive the emergency SNAP allotment in August, totaling about $10.5 million in emergency food benefits for the month.

Emergency Cash Benefits

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

General Assistance (GA)

An estimated 172 households will be eligible to receive emergency cash assistance benefits in August, totaling about $22,500 in emergency benefits for the month.

In addition to the emergency benefits, households will receive their regular benefits for August on the usual issuance dates.

For more information about DSS’s benefit programs in response to the pandemic, go to the division’s webpage. To apply for benefits, go to DHSS’ online application portal Delaware ASSIST or call 1-866-843-7212. To reduce the potential spread of COVID-19, clients are asked to contact the Division of Social Services by phone or online. If clients do need an in-person appointment, they are reminded that face masks are required for all state employees and visitors to state offices and facilities.

-30-

The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of life of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

NEW CASTLE (Jan. 26, 2021) – The Delaware Division of Social Services will issue emergency benefits for January to eligible households as part of the state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Benefits will be issued as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and two cash assistance programs – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and General Assistance (GA). The SNAP emergency food benefit will be issued Wednesday, Jan. 27, and should be available on recipients’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards the next day. TANF and GA households should receive an emergency cash benefit check on or after Wednesday, Jan. 27.

The emergency assistance will increase a household’s monthly benefit for each program up to the maximum benefit amount for their household size (see tables below). Households that already receive the maximum benefit amount or that have a prorated benefit in the month of January are not eligible for the January emergency funds.

Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, which was signed into law in March 2020, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has issued emergency benefits each month to any household not already receiving the maximum monthly benefit.

“We are grateful to be able to provide this continued assistance to residents struggling to support themselves and their families as a result of the ongoing public health emergency created by the pandemic,” said Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Molly Magarik. “This assistance helps vulnerable Delawareans meet their basic needs and to afford additional pandemic-related expenses.”

Households will receive their regular benefits for January on the usual issuance dates. On Jan. 1, regular SNAP benefit allotment amounts increased by 15 percent under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, signed into law in late December. All SNAP households will receive this temporary increase on their EBT cards on or before Jan. 26. The increase in food benefits will continue through June 30 as another measure to ensure food security during the pandemic.

Here are the maximum monthly benefit amounts per household size:

Emergency SNAP benefits

An estimated 53,405 households will be eligible to receive the emergency SNAP allotment in January, totaling about $9.7 million in emergency food benefits for the month.

Emergency cash benefits

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

General Assistance (GA)

An estimated 158 households will be eligible to receive emergency cash assistance benefits in January, totaling about $20,400 in emergency benefits for the month.

For more information about DSS’s benefit programs in response to the pandemic, go to https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dss/covid19.html. To apply for benefits, go to https://assist.dhss.delaware.gov/ or call 1-866-843-7212. To limit the spread of COVID-19, clients are asked to contact the Division of Social Services by phone or online.

Temporary increase is part of federal spending bill signed in late December

NEW CASTLE (Jan. 15, 2021) – Delaware households currently receiving food benefits will receive an additional 15 percent in benefits each month from now through June under federal spending legislation signed in late December.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 temporarily increased the maximum monthly allotment of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by 15 percent effective in January and ending in June, at which time benefits will revert to their current amounts.

SNAP households that had open, ongoing cases before Jan. 1, 2021, will receive their regular monthly benefit on their normal issuance date as well as the additional 15 percent increase supplemental. The 15 percent increase supplemental will be added to households’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on Jan. 26, and the benefits will be available for use the following day. SNAP households that were determined eligible after Jan. 1 already received the increase in their January benefit on their normal issuance date at the new increased amount; they will not receive the 15 percent increase supplemental on Jan. 26. Food benefits that will be issued from February 2021 through June 2021 will include the 15 percent increase and will be issued automatically to recipients on their normal issuance dates. The 15 percent benefit increase is based on each household’s current benefit amount and may be less than the amounts shown in the chart below.

TEMPORARY 15% MAXIMUM FOOD BENEFIT ALLOTMENT INCREASE

Please note that this new, temporary 15 percent benefit is in addition to the emergency COVID-19 benefit that has been issued monthly since March 2020 to SNAP households that are not already receiving the maximum monthly allotment for their household size. The emergency benefit for January will be issued to eligible households on Jan. 27; the emergency benefit may continue month-to-month as long as Delaware’s State of Emergency remains in effect.

“This temporary increase will provide much-needed relief over the next several months to Delaware’s SNAP recipients as they continue to cope with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Molly Magarik. “Along with our local efforts, the additional SNAP benefit and other federal assistance will help vulnerable Delawareans provide for themselves and their families in the face of ongoing challenges created by the public health emergency.”

More than 120,000 Delawareans receive SNAP benefits. The average size of a SNAP household in Delaware is 2.04 individuals and the average monthly benefit amount is $233. Individuals seeking to apply for SNAP benefits in Delaware may apply online at https://assist.dhss.delaware.gov/ or by phone at 1-866-843-7212.

NEW CASTLE (28 de septiembre de 2020) – El Programa de Asistencia de Nutrición Suplementaria (SNAP, por sus siglas en inglés) de Delaware distribuirá otra ronda de los beneficios mensuales de alimentos para la emergencia a los participantes elegibles como parte de la respuesta federal al coronavirus.

Los beneficios de la emergencia para septiembre se publicarán el 29 de septiembre y se cargarán automáticamente en las tarjetas de Transferencia Electrónica de Beneficios (EBT, por sus siglas en inglés) del SNAP de los beneficiarios para su uso a partir del 30 de septiembre.

Bajo la ley federal de Respuesta al Coronavirus de las Familias Primero (Families First Coronavirus Response Act) de 2020, que se firmó como ley en marzo, el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Sociales de Delaware (DHSS, por sus siglas en inglés) distribuirá cada mes los beneficios de emergencia a cualquier hogar que no esté recibiendo ya el beneficio mensual máximo del SNAP. Los hogares con SNAP que ya reciben el beneficio máximo mensual no recibirán fondos adicionales.

Los beneficios de emergencia permitirán que el monto mensual del hogar aumente hasta la cantidad máxima para un hogar de ese tamaño, de la siguiente manera:

Los hogares con SNAP recibieron sus beneficios regulares de septiembre en sus fechas de entrega habituales.

“El coronavirus sigue siendo una amenaza para Delaware y el impacto económico del COVID-19 continúa desafiando la capacidad de las familias para satisfacer sus necesidades alimentarias y nutricionales”, dijo la secretaria del DHSS, Molly Magarik. “Mientras permanezcamos en un estado de emergencia, acogeremos la ayuda financiera adicional para los habitantes de Delaware que intentan alimentarse a sí mismos y a sus familias”.

Un estimado de 36,000 hogares serán elegibles para recibir la asignación de emergencia en septiembre, y unos 6.9 millones de dólares en beneficios para la emergencia se proveerán para el mes.

Más de 120,000 residentes de Delaware reciben los beneficios del SNAP. Las personas que deseen solicitar los beneficios del SNAP en Delaware pueden hacerlo en línea a través de https://assist.dhss.delaware.gov/ o por teléfono al 1-866-843-7212.