Changes Coming to SNAP Benefits

posted 1/13/23 -- More than 17,000 Lorain County households will see a reduction in their food stamp benefits beginning in March thanks to a rollback of emergency supports put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some states have already ended the Emergency Allotment which added dollars to most recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as food stamps). The change was made by the U.S. Congress within the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 which President Biden signed into law on Dec. 29, 2022.

Emergency allotments allowed households to receive an additional payment of $95 or more, typically loaded onto their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Size of household and household income determined each household’s emergency allotment.

Ohio requested and received an extension in the amount of $126M for January and February as final Emergency Allotment payments which will assist 673,063 Ohio households. Beginning in March, Ohioans will receive only their one, normal monthly SNAP benefit amount.

Area food pantries have been preparing for the end of emergency allotments and the anticipated spike in local demand.

Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio maintains a reliable, up-to-date list of area food pantries and distribution sites. Click here.

To monitor your benefits locally, contact the Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services. Click Here

More information and frequently asked questions can be found on the USDA website. Click Here