Following the settlement in the Gilliam vs. USDA case, SNAP recipients will now start receiving additional aid in the form of “emergency allotments.” Read more about the settlement here. Anyone who receives SNAP benefits, even the maximum amount, will receive these emergency allotments. People will not receive notifications, so spreading the word throughout advocacy networks is vital. Below are important pieces of information for those receiving SNAP.  

• The EA amount you get depends on 1) your household size, and 2) if you are already getting the maximum benefit amount for your household (see chart).
• If the SNAP benefits you got in the first half of April were less than the maximum amount for your household size, your EA will bring you up to the maximum benefit. 
• If your SNAP benefit was less than the maximum amount of aid, your EA will now bring you up to the maximum benefit amount. 
• If your SNAP benefit was already the maximum amount, your EA for April will be 50% of your previous allowance. 
  • For example, if you are a three-person household and received the $616 maximum benefit allowance, you will now also receive $308 in emergency allotments. 
• No extra paperwork is needed, your benefits will be processed automatically. 
• Starting in May, the minimum EA for households will be $95.  
• The date your benefits will be put on your EBT Card in April is based on the last number of your case record number. Refer to the chart below.