Approximately 700,000 SNAP Households will Receive Supplemental Payments for August 

More than $500 million in Benefits Already Distributed to Low-Income New Yorkers Since April 

The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) today announced more than $100 million in additional emergency food assistance for New Yorkers adversely affected by the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. About 700,000 low-income individuals and families enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will receive a supplemental payment to bring them up to the maximum allowable benefit for August to help them avoid food insecurity. 

“The unprecedented public health crisis we are facing has left far too many families and individuals struggling to put food on the table,” said OTDA Commissioner Mike Hein. “This additional assistance is vitally important to New Yorkers who are dealing with a loss of income due to the pandemic and rising food costs.” 

Administered by OTDA, the emergency assistance is issued to any SNAP household that does not ordinarily receive the maximum allowable benefit per month, which varies by household size, and is $194 for an individual and $646 for a family of four. These benefits will be distributed later this month, after the regular SNAP issuance. About half of all households receiving SNAP will receive additional benefits for August. 

This will mark the sixth consecutive month all SNAP recipients in New York State have received the maximum benefit. In April, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo directed OTDA to submit a plan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide emergency supplemental payments for March and April to any SNAP household getting less than the maximum monthly benefit, which is $646 for a family of four. Since that time, approximately $500 million in additional benefits have been distributed throughout the state. 

As with the prior months, the supplemental payments will be issued over a period of several days once SNAP benefits for August have been issued. The payments will be delivered directly to recipients’ existing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) account and can be accessed with their existing EBT card. Like regular SNAP benefits, the supplemental benefits can be used to purchase food at authorized retail food stores. Any unused SNAP benefits will be automatically carried over to the following month.