LAS VEGAS, March 23, 2023 – Three Square Food Bank urges anyone experiencing food insecurity to reach out for support, especially as the recent end of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) emergency allotments (EAs) has impacted households in Southern Nevada.
Households losing access to meals from SNAP EAs may look to food pantries as a means of replacing those meals. Three Square is working with its agency partners to help manage and react to any instances of increased demand. Beginning April 2023, households that have been receiving SNAP assistance twice monthly will now receive benefits just once per month in the amount for which the household was approved.
Due to the potential for misinformation, Three Square reminds the public that SNAP benefits are not going away entirely, and this recent expiration pertains to the extra funds that were made available as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s COVID-19 response. Nevada is among the last states that continued issuing SNAP EAs, with many states ending the supplemental funds in 2021 and 2022.
“Three Square has prepared for the recent termination of pandemic-era SNAP EAs, as those funds were always intended to be temporary to ensure food access during COVID,” said Regis Whaley, director of advocacy and research, Three Square Food Bank. “We want to be clear that regular SNAP benefits are still accessible for those who qualify and those who need food assistance, who have not yet applied to the federally funded program, should do so.”
Every year SNAP benefits receive a cost of living adjustment and are currently at their highest. In October 2021, SNAP benefits were permanently increased to reflect the cost of purchasing foods that support a healthy diet.
In addition to SNAP, there are other nutrition programs throughout the Valley that can help residents secure access to food, including various food distribution sites that are listed online. For more information about Three Square Food Bank, visit www.threesquare.org.
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Three Square Food Bank, 702.644.3663
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