Extra federal food benefits due to COVID-19 will end in March

Press release from NC Department of Health and Human Services

In North Carolina and nationally, emergency allotments for COVID-19 in the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) program will end in March 2023. Households that have been receiving extra FNS benefits (called “emergency allotments”) each month since March 2020 or after will see a reduction in benefits because of a federal change that ends emergency allotments for all states.

As part of the COVID-19 public health emergency, families enrolled in the FNS program in North Carolina have been receiving at least $95 extra per month since March 2020 through emergency allotments. With the end of emergency allotments, the average FNS benefit per person per day will decrease from $8.12 to $5.45.

These emergency allotments have been critical in helping families compensate for financial and economic hardships due to COVID-19.

“Families needed these additional benefits to get healthy and nutritious food throughout the pandemic,” said Susan Gale Perry, NCDHHS Chief Deputy Secretary for Opportunity and Well-Being. “While FNS emergency payments are ending, the need is not. We will continue to prioritize food security for all North Carolinians.”

Since March 2020, an average of 900,000 North Carolina households received FNS emergency allotments, giving more families access to nutrition meals that support healthy and productive lives, and bringing approximately $150 million federal dollars each month into local economies.

Beneficiaries will continue to receive their regular monthly benefit amounts in March 2023 based on a person’s or household’s current eligibility, income, household size and other federal eligibility requirements. FNS recipients can view their regular monthly FNS benefit amount and their emergency allotment amount online at www.ebtedge.com. NCDHHS encourages families to keep their FNS information up to date to help them get the greatest benefits they are eligible to receive.

NCDHHS is working to increase access to food support by growing the NCCARE360 network to help connect families in need to resources in their communities. Additionally, the NC Medicaid Healthy Opportunities Pilot program is connecting people in certain counties with food vouchers and other services to boost their overall health.

North Carolinians in need of additional food assistance can learn more about additional food and nutrition resources at www.ncdhhs.gov/foodresources. Residents can apply for FNS benefits online with ePass or by filling out a paper application and mailing it to or dropping it off at their county Department of Social Services.

 En Carolina del Norte y a nivel nacional, las asignaciones de emergencia para COVID-19 en el programa de Alimentos y Servicios de Nutrición (FNS) se terminarán en marzo de 2023. Los hogares que han estado recibiendo beneficios adicionales de FNS (llamados “asignaciones de emergencia”) cada mes desde marzo de 2020 o después, verán una reducción en los beneficios debido a un cambio federal que termina las asignaciones de emergencia para todos los estados.

Como parte de la emergencia de salud pública COVID-19, las familias inscritas en el programa FNS en Carolina del Norte han estado recibiendo al menos $95 adicionales por mes desde marzo de 2020 a través de asignaciones de emergencia. Con el fin de las asignaciones de emergencia, el beneficio promedio de FNS por persona por día disminuirá de $8.12 a $5.45.

Estas asignaciones de emergencia han sido vitales para ayudar a las familias a compensar las dificultades financieras y económicas debido a COVID-19.

“Las familias necesitaban estos beneficios adicionales para obtener alimentos saludables y nutritivos durante toda la pandemia”, dijo Susan Gale Perry, Subsecretaria Principal de Oportunidades y Bienestar de NCDHHS. “Si bien los pagos de emergencia de FNS se están terminando, la necesidad no. Continuaremos priorizando la seguridad alimenticia para todos los habitantes de Carolina del Norte”.

Desde marzo de 2020, un promedio de 900,000 hogares de Carolina del Norte recibieron asignaciones de emergencia de FNS, dando a más familias acceso a comidas nutritivas que apoyan vidas saludables y productivas, y aportando aproximadamente $150 millones de dólares federales cada mes a las economías locales.

Los beneficiarios continuarán recibiendo sus montos regulares de beneficios mensuales en marzo de 2023 en función de la elegibilidad actual, los ingresos, el tamaño del hogar y otros requisitos federales de elegibilidad de una persona o hogar. Los beneficiarios de FNS pueden ver su monto mensual regular de beneficios de FNS y su monto de asignación de emergencia en línea en www.ebtedge.com. NCDHHS anima a las familias a mantener su información de FNS actualizada para ayudarles a obtener los mayores beneficios a los que califican para recibir.

NCDHHS está trabajando para aumentar el acceso al apoyo alimentario mediante el crecimiento de la red NCCARE360 para ayudar a conectar a las familias necesitadas con los recursos en sus comunidades. Además, el programa Piloto de Oportunidades Saludables de NC Medicaid conecta a las personas en ciertos condados con cupones de alimentos y otros servicios para mejorar su salud en general.

Los habitantes de Carolina del Norte que necesitan asistencia alimentaria adicional pueden obtener más información sobre recursos adicionales de alimentos y nutrición en www.ncdhhs.gov/foodresources. Los residentes pueden solicitar los beneficios de FNS en línea con ePass o completando una solicitud en papel y enviándola por correo o dejándola en el Dpartamento de Servicios Sociales de su condado.

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