$70M In Extra Food Benefits Issued To Help Feed NJ Families

Help is on the way for families struggling to put food on the table amid the coronairus outbreak. About 205,000 New Jersey residents who receive food assistance through NJ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (NJ SNAP) will get an extra benefit payment on Sunday and their benefits will be higher in April to help with the purchase of groceries.

NJ Human Services announced the $70 million in extra NJ SNAP will be given over the next two months to residents to help with the purchase of groceries. The extra benefits will be directly loaded onto NJ SNAP recipients’ Families First EBT cards.

About 670,000 New Jerseyans in 340,000 households receive NJ SNAP benefits.

"Too many residents in the state of New Jersey go to bed without a meal every night – 1 out of every eight residents to be exact," said Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin. "No family should have to choose between paying their bills and eating a nutritious meal, but sadly that is the case for many during the current coronavirus health emergency. Ensuring SNAP recipients receive the assistance they need is critical as we wait for this pandemic to subside."

These extra payments are being added to the family's standard monthly benefits and are based on household size and income. Under federal policies implementing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, households that already receive the federal allowable maximum SNAP benefit are not eligible for supplemental payments.

The extra benefit payment on Sunday can be used beyond the month of March and the extra April benefit will be combined with eligible recipients’ typical monthly payment, meaning they will get one combined payment in April of the supplement and standard benefits.

Residents who need food assistance should visit and apply for SNAP online at www.NJHelps.org.

Human Services also has received federal approval to extend NJ SNAP recertification periods to six months for cases that are expiring in March, April and May.