Emergency Allotments (EA) for SNAP recipients were authorized by Congress under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) previously approved NYS’s plan to distribute EA of SNAP benefits in March, April, May, June, July and August. FNS recently approved NYS’s request to provide EA for SNAP recipients in the month of September.
In NYS, over 700,000 individuals and families enrolled in SNAP will receive the EA supplement to bring their September SNAP benefit to the maximum allowable benefit in an effort to help them avoid food insecurity.
This Consumer FAQ explains who will receive the September EA supplement benefit and what SNAP clients should know about this supplement SNAP benefit.
For more information on issuance dates and other details see their COVID 19 page.
USDA warns of SNAP Scam
On September 10th the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) released a fraud alert warning of scams targeting SNAP recipients. Highlights include:
- Be aware of a scam using texting to obtain your personal information. The text might say you were chosen to receive food stamps or SNAP If you do not know if a request for information about SNAP is real or not, contact your local SNAP office.
See the COVID-19 page for more details on how to find your local SNAP office and how to keep on top of potential scams.