All SNAP Households To Receive the Maximum Level of Food Benefits for September

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive the maximum allowable level of food benefits for September. All households participating in SNAP — including those already at the maximum level of benefits — will receive a supplemental allotment this month, resulting in a roughly $234 million infusion of federal funding into the New York State economy.

“Too many hardworking New Yorkers continue to feel the effects of the pandemic-struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table,” Governor Hochul said. “My administration will continue taking action to support our most vulnerable communities, and the $234 million in SNAP benefits announced today will provide the necessary funding to ensure hundreds of thousands of New York households avoid food insecurity.”

The emergency assistance supplement will be provided to all households, including those that ordinarily receive the maximum allowable benefit per month, receiving SNAP, a federally funded program overseen by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Households already near or at the maximum benefit level — $835 for a household of four — will receive a supplemental payment of at least $95.

SNAP households in all counties outside of New York City should see these extra benefits post between today, and Monday, September 26. Those SNAP households in the five-county New York City region should see their benefits post between Friday, September 16, and Thursday, September 29.

OTDA began issuing the emergency supplemental benefits in April 2020 to those SNAP households receiving less than the maximum monthly benefit amount. When New York State’s emergency declaration expired in June 2021, the agency successfully worked with the federal government to secure the maximum allotment for all SNAP households until the expiration of the federal declaration of a public health emergency, which was extended until October and will enable OTDA to continue issuing these benefits through November.

New Yorkers continued to rely heavily on SNAP this summer, with more than 1.6 million households, including more than 2.8 million New Yorkers, throughout the state enrolled in the program in July. While SNAP recipients statewide remained relatively flat compared to June, they were up 3 percent over July 2021, highlighting the continuing demand for these critical benefits.