The Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), like most federal assistance programs, changes and evolves over the course of each year and often even more so.
The program, run by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is designed to help low-income families buy groceries to make ends meet and supplement this grocery budget with food benefits. One of SNAP’s quirks that sets it apart from other programs is that although it is federally funded and enforced, it is state-managed and distributed so the families don’t get stuck in the cracks and SNAP adapts to the needs of every state and its residents.
Among the program’s quirks is that changes to the program don’t take effect in January as they do for many other programs but begin in October as soon as the cost of living increase is announced so beneficiaries can start preparing for the new year without one more worry.
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Changes in Pennsylvania SNAP benefits
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services has informed residents of the state of the income limits and maximum benefit amounts for SNAP and what changes to the program are specifically in effect for them. The second biggest change will come in the form of a change to the maximum income limit that families qualify for when applying for the benefit begins. Benefits are not applied equally across the board—they are more or less distributed based on the size of a family or the age of recipients. But, as a general rule, this is the maximum monthly income a family can have in Pennsylvania to be considered eligible for the benefit:
| Household Size | Maximum Gross Monthly Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,510 |
| 2 | $3,408 |
| 3 | $4,304 |
| 4 | $5,200 |
| 5 | $6,098 |
| 6 | $6,994 |
| 7 | $7,890 |
| 8 | $8,788 |
| 9 | $9,686 |
| 10 | $10,584 |
| Each additional member | +$898 |
‘Being able to feed yourself and your family is not just a health issue—it conveys a sense of self-reliance, safety and dignity when you know what you can access is fresh, nutritious foods without having to make the difficult decision to pay for groceries or necessities,’ Pennsylvania Secretary Jan Arkoosh said.
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That’s why another big change to the program is the Thrifty Food Plan, which according to the USDA is “the cost of food that is both healthy and budget conscious for a family of four.” Based on the number of members of a family given in a household, this determines the highest amount of SNAP payments a family can get.
| Household Size | Maximum Gross Monthly Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,510 |
| 2 | $3,408 |
| 3 | $4,304 |
| 4 | $5,200 |
| 5 | $6,098 |
| 6 | $6,994 |
| 7 | $7,890 |
| 8 | $8,788 |
| 9 | $9,686 |
| 10 | $10,584 |
| Each additional member | +$898 |
How to find out if you are eligible for SNAP benefits
The measure is not universal nationwide because not every state has the same standard of living, the costs and the access to food. Clearly, it wouldn’t be fair to expect the same standard from someone in the rural parts of Alaska as someone in a metropolitan area in California. That is why the applications have to be reviewed differently in each state.
The minutiae of the application process and the conditions specific to every state are all available on the SNAP website; they correspond to each of the 50 states. Don’t let that deter you if your application isn’t clearly defined; we are flexible with those who may need assistance. SNAP helps more than two million Pennsylvanians, many of whom are our friends and neighbors, take home the food they need,” Secretary Arkoosh explains. “I strongly encourage everyone who may need food assistance to apply for SNAP.”