Del. To Issue Monthly Emergency Benefits Dec. 23 To SNAP Households, Eligible TANF and General Assistance Households

NEW CASTLE (Dec. 21, 2022) – The Delaware Division of Social Services will issue emergency benefits for December to eligible households as part of the State’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.  

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 available on recipients’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards Friday, Dec. 23. Eligible TANF and GA households will receive an emergency cash benefit check on or after Friday, Dec. 23.  

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 or a prorated initial benefit 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 December are not eligible for the December emergency cash funds. 

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has issued emergency benefits each month to eligible households since March 2020. As the federal public health emergency is expected to come to an end in early 2023, DHSS encourages benefit recipients to begin preparing for the day when these additional monthly emergency funds also end. 

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 $181 in emergency benefits ($281 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

Number in SNAP Household Maximum Benefit Amount As of 10/1/2022
1 $281
2 $516
3 $740
4 $939
5 $1,116
6 $1,339
7 $1,480
8 $1,691
Each additional person $211

An estimated 59,915 Delaware households will receive the emergency SNAP allotment in December, totaling about $12.3 million in emergency food benefits for the month. 

 

Emergency Cash Benefits

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Number in TANF Household Maximum Benefit Amount
1 $201
2 $270
3 $338
4 $407
5 $475
6 $544
7 $612
8 $681
9 $750
10 $819

 

General Assistance (GA)

Number in GA Household Maximum Benefit Amount
1 $79
2 $107
3 $144
4 $169
5 $209
6 $239

An estimated 165 households will be eligible to receive emergency cash assistance benefits in December, totaling about $20,400 in emergency benefits for the month.  

 

In addition to the emergency benefits, households will receive their regular benefits for December 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 screen for and apply for benefits, go to DHSS’ online application portal Delaware ASSIST or call 1-866-843-7212. 

  

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Del. to Issue Monthly Emergency Benefits Nov. 23 to SNAP Households, Eligible TANF and General Assistance Households

NEW CASTLE (Nov. 21, 2022) – The Delaware Division of Social Services will issue emergency benefits for November to eligible households as part of the State’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

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 available on recipients’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards Wednesday, Nov. 23. Eligible TANF and GA households will receive an emergency cash benefit check on or after Wednesday, Nov. 23.

All households with open SNAP cases will receive at least $95 in emergency food benefits, to be issued as follows:

  • SNAP households receiving the maximum food benefit amount for their household size or a prorated initial benefit will receive $95 in emergency food benefits.
  • SNAP households with a calculated emergency food benefit amount less than $95 will have their emergency benefit increased to $95.
  • 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 November are not eligible for the November emergency cash funds.

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has issued emergency benefits each month to eligible households since March 2020.

“We are grateful once again to the federal government and the congressional delegation to offer these enhanced benefits to our residents and families most in need in our state,” said DHSS Secretary Molly Magarik. “We do, however, expect the public health emergency to end sometime in early 2023, which will also mean the end to these expanded benefits. We do not want those who rely on these additional funds to be caught off guard, which is why we continue to encourage Delawareans receiving these benefits to start preparing for that day now.”

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 $181 in emergency benefits ($281 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

Number in SNAP Household Maximum Benefit Amount As of 10/1/2022
1 $281
2 $516
3 $740
4 $939
5 $1,116
6 $1,339
7 $1,480
8 $1,691
Each additional person $211

An estimated 59,600 Delaware households will receive the emergency SNAP allotment in November, totaling about $12 million in emergency food benefits for the month.

Emergency Cash Benefits

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Number in TANF Household Maximum Benefit Amount
1 $201
2 $270
3 $338
4 $407
5 $475
6 $544
7 $612
8 $681
9 $750
10 $819

General Assistance (GA)

Number in GA Household Maximum Benefit Amount
1 $79
2 $107
3 $144
4 $169
5 $209
6 $239

An estimated 165 households will be eligible to receive emergency cash assistance benefits in November, totaling about $21,250 in emergency benefits for the month.

In addition to the emergency benefits, households will receive their regular benefits for November 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 screen for and apply for benefits, go to DHSS’ online application portal Delaware ASSIST or call 1-866-843-7212.

 


Delaware’s SNAP Program Issues Additional Emergency Benefits Available Starting July 31

 

Existing clients may receive these additional benefits to support food needs

 

NEW CASTLE (July 31, 2020) – Emergency benefits have been issued to participants of Delaware’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for July as part of the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020.  


Under this federal act signed into law March 18, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) issued emergency benefits to any household not already receiving the maximum monthly SNAP benefit. 
SNAP households that already receive the maximum monthly benefit will not receive additional funds.

 

The emergency benefits were released July 30, and were automatically loaded to recipients’ SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards for use starting July 31. The emergency benefits will allow the household’s monthly allotment to increase to the maximum amount for a household of that size, as follows:

 

Number in SNAP Household

Maximum Benefit Amount

1

$194

2

$355

3

$509

4

$646

5

$768

6

$921

7

$1,018

8

$1,164

Each additional person

$146


SNAP households already received their regular July benefits on their usual issuance dates.

 

Many SNAP households also received emergency benefits in March, April, May and June. “This additional assistance helps Delaware families who continue to struggle to meet their food and nutritional needs because of the ongoing economic impact of COVID-19,” said Molly Magarik, Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services. “DHSS continues to work with our fellow state agencies and community partners to help reduce the number of individuals and families who worry about going hungry.”

 

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 through https://assist.dhss.delaware.gov/ or by phone at 1-866-843-7212. 

 


Because of the Federal Shutdown, Delaware and All Other States Will Issue February Food Benefits on or Before Jan. 20

NEW CASTLE (Jan. 14, 2019) – Because of the partial federal government shutdown, Delaware will join other states in issuing food benefits early for February, loading them onto clients’ Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on or before Jan. 20.

The more than 136,000 Delawareans who are clients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will receive their February benefits by Sunday, Jan. 20, said Ray Fitzgerald, director of the Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Social Services (DSS), which manages the food benefit program in

Delaware. DSS typically staggers food benefits between the second and the 22nd days of the month.

 

“To be clear, these early food benefits are not additional or bonus benefits,” said Dr. Kara Odom Walker, DHSS Cabinet Secretary. “Because clients will have two months’ worth of food dollars on their EBT cards this month, we urge them to plan and budget wisely. It is important for them to use January benefits in January, and February’s benefits in February. Our hope is to be back on the regular schedule beginning in March.”

Clients will be notified of the early issuance through letters to each household, contacts through retail outlets and community partners, social media posts, and other means.

Fitzgerald said DSS is working with grocery and convenience stores to alert them of the early issuance of February benefits so they can stock additional food items and increase staffing as needed. The division also is working to get out the message to community partners, including legislators, State Service Centers, the Food Bank of Delaware, senior centers, places of worship and other organizations.

The average household benefit in Delaware is $238 per month, which makes the total disbursement about $15.8 million monthly. The majority of SNAP clients are children, seniors and people with disabilities.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said it is able to make the payments for February based on a provision in the short-term continuing resolution that kept several federal agencies funded through Dec. 21.

Clients in Delaware who have questions about the balances on their EBT cards can check them onlineat ConnectEBT.com or call Conduent Customer S

ervice at 1-800-526-9099.