HAMPTON, Va.— The extra money that was helping nearly half a million families will come to an end this month. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will continue to be available to low-income families but without the added boost in payment that was given to the account for the pandemic.
One Hampton woman is concerned about these changes.
"I barely get by month to month," said Lynn Warness.
Inflation has impacted pretty much everything, especially grocery prices. Warness is one of many who doesn't know how much further she can stretch her grocery budget.
A pandemic-era boost of funds for low-income households to buy groceries is ending on March 31. People like Warness who rely on snap benefits will now see $95 less each month.
"It's absolutely a slap in the face, it is. Everything has gone up in price" said Warness.
Before the pandemic, Warness remembers being able to spend nearly $100 on her monthly supermarket haul.
Today, the same monthly shopping trip costs her nearly $400.
"I get stuff for my cabinets like soup, and I get some pasta for rainy days. But sometimes I ask myself 'what in the world did I even buy for all that much money?'" said Warness.
But food prices aren't her only concern.
With SNAP benefits ending soon, it forces Warness and millions of others into potentially hard situations. That could mean taking a lot of food out of their cart or relying more on local food pantries.
"It's a nightmare for me just to get by and pay basic bills. I'm living off a disability check. I get $1,000 a month to live off of which doesn't go very far. So that extra money really helped me" said Warness.
The program which started in the early days of the pandemic is estimated to have kept 4.2 million Americans out of poverty.
The Food and Nutrition Service said it is possible that some households may no longer even receive snap benefits due to the social security increase if they are no longer income eligible.
"I'm at a lose-lose situation right now," said Warness.
To find an updated list of all 2023 adjustments in relation to SNAP allotments and income eligibility click here.
