The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announces that, as a result of federal legislation, the federal Emergency Allotment of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will end in February 2023. Beginning in March 2023, the SNAP benefit allotment will revert to the household’s pre-pandemic dollar amount.

In March 2020, to offset financial uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic, SNAP recipients began receiving the federal emergency allotment, which equaled the maximum allotment for the household’s size. Last month, Congress passed legislation that ends the emergency allotment, which will occur after the issuance of February SNAP benefits.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, as business operations paused and families were faced with significant work reduction, additional SNAP benefits have been a critical support for people across New Hampshire,” said Karen Hebert, Director of the DHHS Division of Economic and Housing Stability. “As SNAP benefits return to pre-pandemic levels, we want to be sure people know that there are community resources that can assist those who continue to experience food insecurity. As always, we encourage SNAP recipients to report any changes in their circumstances to the Department to ensure that they are receiving the appropriate amount of SNAP benefits for their family size.”

The New Hampshire Food Access Map provides information on programs that offer nutrition assistance to residents, including food pantries, churches, Meals on Wheels programs, the Women, Infants & Children Nutrition Program (WIC), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for adults ages 60 and older, and the New Hampshire Food Bank.

For more information and additional resources, visit https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/adult-aging-care/food-meals-nutrition and https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/financial-assistance-0/pandemic-related-benefits-changes.

To apply for SNAP benefits, visit https://nheasy.nh.gov/#/.