Gov. Abbott, HHSC announce extension of emergency SNAP benefits

AUSTIN A press release from Governor Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday the Texas Health and Human Services Commission is providing more than $307 million in emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food benefits for the month of January.

The allotments are expected to help more than 1.5 million Texas households, the press release detailed.

“This emergency SNAP support will ensure more than 1.5 million families can continue to put food on the table,” Abbott stated in the press release. “Thanks to the USDA for their continued collaboration with HHSC to provide healthy meals to Texans across the state.”

“As Texans ring in the new year, this additional support will help families start 2022 with food on the table for themselves and their children,” Texas HHS Access and Eligibility Services Deputy Executive Commissioner Wayne Salter stated in the press release.

HHSC received federal approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to extend the maximum, allowable amount of SNAP benefits to recipients based on family size and all SNAP households will receive a minimum of $95 in emergency allotments. This additional emergency allotment should appear in recipients’ accounts by January 31.

The emergency January allotments are in addition to the more than $5.4 billion in benefits previously provided to Texans since April 2020, the press release stated.