The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services recently announced updates to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, that will expand eligibility for Pennsylvanians in need of food assistance.
Effective Oct. 1, Pennsylvania has increased the income threshold for all applicants to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. With this change, more than 420,000 additional Pennsylvanians in more than 174,000 households will be newly eligible for SNAP and will receive, on average, $63 a month.
“Being able to eat and nourish yourself every day is one of the most essential building blocks to living well and doing everything else in life. It’s easy to take for granted, but for too many people, being able to afford your next meal isn’t a given. SNAP helps to make that possible,” said DHS Executive Deputy Secretary Andrew Barnes. “Expanding eligibility for SNAP allows us to extend a reprieve to people who may be struggling so we can help more Pennsylvanians meet this most essential need that literally fuels us to live, work, grow and thrive.”
Beginning Oct. 1, DHS has expanded Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility for SNAP. While SNAP is a federal program and SNAP benefits are funded through the federal budget, states administer eligibility and issuance of benefits. BBCE is a policy that gives states, including Pennsylvania, the flexibility to determine appropriate income thresholds and extend SNAP benefits to low-income families and individuals who would otherwise struggle to afford food. DHS currently uses BBCE flexibility to set income thresholds to 160 percent of the FPIG for households that do not have elderly or disabled members.
With this change, the household monthly income limits for all households to be eligible for SNAP are as follows:
– Household size of one, 200 percent FPIG = $2,266
– Household size of two, $3,052
– Household size of three, $3,840
– Household size of four, $4,626
– Household size of five, $5,412
– Household size of six, $6,200
– Household size of seven, $6,986
– Household size of eight, $7,772
– Household size of nine, $8,560
– Household size of 10, $9,348
– Each additional member is $788
Applications for SNAP and other public assistance programs can be submitted online at compass.state.pa.us. SNAP and Medicaid applications are accepted by phone by calling the Customer Service Center at 1-866-550-4355. On-site County Assistance Office services are available if clients cannot access online services or need assistance that cannot be accessed through the COMPASS website, the myCOMPASS PA mobile app or by calling the Customer Service Centers at 1-877-395-8930 for clients in counties outside of Philadelphia.
