As of Oct. 1, Oregon recipients of the federal benefit Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — aka SNAP — will receive about $36 more each month per person. The increase is said to impact 408,000 households statewide.
The calculations of the maximum monthly funds are derived from the so-called Thrifty Food Plan, needed to sustain a four-person family consisting of an adult female, adult male, and two school-age children. The yearly review of SNAP benefits occurs in June; changes take place in October.
According to USDA classification, the Thrifty Food Plan is the lowest-cost plan, followed by the Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plan. The Thrifty Food Plan “represents the cost of a nutritious, practical, cost-effective diet prepared at home for a family of four,” according to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s definition. The USDA website names the foods, on which the calculation is based as “specific amounts of various food categories — such as dark green vegetables, whole fruit and poultry — that together comprise a practical, cost-effective diet that meets dietary guidance. “
Since March 2020, the federal government has approved monthly emergency allotments (15 percent), to give SNAP recipients extra support during the pandemic. These emergency food benefits will be available for the current recipients of SNAP on Oct. 12, and for new recipients between Oct. 29 and Nov. 2. SNAP recipients will automatically receive these funds via their EBT cards.
“We also know that many Oregonians are still struggling to meet their basic needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we encourage them to contact our partners at 211 and the Oregon Food Bank for support during this difficult time,” said Dan Haun, Director of the Oregon Department of Human Services Self-Sufficiency Program.
More information about emergency allotments is available here. The ONE Customer Service Center will answer specific questions on SNAP at 1-800-699-9075.
By Joanna Rosińska
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