Households across Massachusetts will receive the first round of state-funded extra Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on April 7, 2023 as this legislation will provide $130 million to soften the effects due to the expiration of federal COVID SNAP benefits, which became effective on February 28th, 2023, as families who depend on this program were struggling to make ends meet.

Sheffield Food Assistance Program
Sheffield Food Assistance Program
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DTA Commissioner Mary Sheehan reiterated the need is STILL existent due to the high prices at grocery stores and supermarkets:

“We have heard from many families on how vital the federal extra COVID SNAP benefits have been in Massachusetts to help buy food that met their nutritional and cultural needs. These extra state-funded payments will be a crucial offramp to the federal benefits and will support over 650,000 households. The Healey Administration is working to get these benefits out as quickly as possible,”

Qualifying Bay State households will see these benefits for the prior month reinstated and will become available on April 7th, May 2nd and June 2nd. These payments will  equal up to 40% percent of the difference between a household’s maximum benefit amount for their household size and their regular monthly benefit amount.

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Locally in south county, two government grants totaling 1.4 million dollars were approved to help close food access gaps as Berkshire Grown has teamed up with CHP, The Southern Berkshire Rural Health Network and Berkshire Bounty to assist families who are having a hard time putting food on their tables. CHP will also offer food bags to area residents as this a prime example to remedy this on going problem. In Adams, Meg Bantle and Lara Tupper-Panches have implemented The Full Well Farm as they also took an interest in replenishing much-needed staples for local residents.

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State officials are also highlighting food resources for those in need. they can call Project Bread’s Food Source Hotline, toll-free at 1-800-645-8333, and the WIC Nutrition program for families with children under 5, expectant mothers and those with newborns who are breastfeeding. You can obtain more information about WIC by going here

NikkiZalewski
NikkiZalewski
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To learn more about if you qualify for state-funded extra SNAP payments and benefits, click here for further details.

(Some information obtained in this article, courtesy of www.capecod.com)

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