More than 900,000 Hoosiers on food stamps will see their benefits reduced next month. The cut could mean losing nearly a week’s worth of meals for a family of four.
The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP benefits, commonly called food stamps, are given out based on family size. And beginning November 1, a one-person household will lose $11 a month and a family of four will lose $36 a month in benefits.
Emily Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, says the reduction isn’t related to the federal government shutdown – the issue is federal stimulus dollars, handed out in 2009, that are going away.
“It’s something that we’ve seen coming for some time but not knowing whether there was a farm bill that would be passed or a budget that would be passed that would extend these enhanced benefits," she says. "A lot of folks kind of have waited until towards the end to realize that nothing is going to change.”
The state is telling SNAP recipients about the change but Bryant says food banks also need to be aware of the possibility of greater demand. And she’s encouraging Hoosiers to donate more to food banks and organizations that combat hunger.
