What is the new temporary benefit that District of Columbia SNAP recipients are receiving on their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards?
There is a Temporary Local Benefit to households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the period January 1, 2024, through September 30, 2024. You may have heard it called “Give SNAP a Raise.” This temporary benefit provides all SNAP recipients in the District of Columbia a temporary increase of up to 10% of their household’s federal maximum, on top of what they already receive.
What does this mean?
Each SNAP household will temporarily see their SNAP benefit increase. In the District of Columbia, the “Local State Supplement” (LSS) ensures that every SNAP household receives a minimum of $30 per month. The new increase will add temporarily to the amount you already receive.
How much will each household receive?
Each household already receives a set amount each month based on the size of their SNAP household, with higher amounts provided for larger households. The new change will increase the amount you already receive by 10% of your household’s federal maximum. Because the total funding is capped, and the SNAP caseload fluctuates, it may be reduced in September if funds run short. Our goal is to maximize the use of the identified funds for District residents.
|
Household Size |
Maximum Monthly Allotment (MMA) |
Temporary Local Benefit (TLB) |
|
1 |
$291 |
$29 |
|
2 |
$535 |
$53 |
|
3 |
$766 |
$76 |
|
4 |
$973 |
$97 |
|
5 |
$1,155 |
$115 |
|
6 |
$1,386 |
$138 |
|
7 |
$1,532 |
$153 |
|
8 |
$1,751 |
$175 |
When will funds be available?
Each SNAP customer will receive a notice advising them of their benefit. This notice will be mailed on February 17, 2024. On February 23, 2024, the District will load the January and February benefits onto each household’s EBT card. For the months of March through September of 2024, the temporary benefit will be combined with the regular SNAP benefit and loaded on the EBT cards between the 1st and 10th of the month – as benefits are loaded now. (https://dhs.dc.gov/service/snap-benefits)
Will customers receive a new EBT card?
No, customers will not receive new EBT cards. No action is required and there is nothing that customers need to do to receive this benefit.
What happens in October 2024?
- The benefit is available through the end of Fiscal Year 2024 (September 2024).
- In October 2024, all households will return to receiving their regular SNAP allotment, without this new temporary benefit.
- The DC Department of Human Services will send all households a notice in August to remind them of this.
Using the added benefit
The added benefit does not change the rules for SNAP. The program will continue operating normally.
See what can be purchased with SNAP and where it can be used here - SNAP Benefits | dhs (dc.gov).