Reminder, February is the last month Oregon Will Receive Increased Emergency Food Benefits
By Garrett Christensen on Thursday, February 9th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
EASTERN OREGON – (Information from the Oregon Department of Human Services) The Oregon Department of Human Services would like to remind residents that February is the final month that Emergency SNAP Benefits will be allotted. In its most recent release, the DHS wanted Oregonians to understand the following:
- “Most Oregonians who receive SNAP benefits will receive increased emergency food benefits in February.
- Approximately 416,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $71 million in emergency food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits in February.
- February is the last month that the federal government will allow Oregon to issue these emergency food benefits.
- Households who receive SNAP will continue to receive their regular SNAP benefits after February, typically this is the amount households get between the first and the ninth of each month.
- Current SNAP households will receive emergency allotments on Feb. 10. Emergency allotments will be issued Feb. 27 or March 1 for households who did not receive benefits in the first monthly issuance.
- Oregonians who receive SNAP are encouraged to prepare for this change in the amount of food benefits they receive. Having a plan ahead of time will reduce the chance of experiencing an emergency or crisis later.”
As to why the emergency benefits are being discontinued, DHS also gave the following explanation:
“The federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since April 2020. The 2023 federal spending bill ended funding for emergency allotments. Due to this change, the federal government will no longer allow Oregon to issue emergency food benefits after February 2023.
This means that February 2023 is the final month that ODHS is allowed to provide these emergency food benefits to people receiving SNAP in Oregon.
These emergency food benefits have provided people in Oregon with $1.86 billion in additional money for food since April 2020.”
