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DHSS Press Release

Molly Magarik, Secretary
Jill Fredel, Director of Communications
302-255-9047, Cell 302-357-7498
Email: DPHMedia@Delaware.gov

Date: December 8, 2020
DHSS-12-2020

DELAWARE WILL ISSUE EMERGENCY BENEFITS FOR DECEMBER TO ELIGIBLE SNAP, TANF, AND GENERAL ASSISTANCE HOUSEHOLDS

NEW CASTLE (Dec. 8, 2020) - The Delaware Division of Social Services will issue emergency benefits for December to eligible households as part of the state's ongoing response to the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Benefits will be issued as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and two cash assistance programs - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and General Assistance (GA). The SNAP emergency food benefit will be issued Wednesday, Dec. 9, and should be available on recipients' Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards the next day. TANF and GA households should receive an emergency cash benefit check on or after Wednesday, Dec. 9.

The emergency assistance will increase a household's monthly benefit for each program up to the maximum benefit amount for their household size (see tables below). Households that already receive the maximum benefit amount or that have a prorated benefit in the month of December are not eligible for the December emergency funds.

Households will receive their regular benefits for December on the usual issuance dates.

Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, which was signed into law in March, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has issued emergency benefits each month to any household not already receiving the maximum monthly benefit.

"With the holidays approaching and cases of COVID-19 continuing to rise in Delaware, we know the needs are increasing for our residents from low-income households," said Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Molly Magarik. "This additional assistance will help them provide for themselves and their families and hopefully lessen the burdens created by the ongoing public health emergency."

Here are the maximum monthly benefit amounts per household size:

Emergency SNAP benefits

Number in SNAP Household	Maximum Benefit Amount
1	$204
2	$374
3	$535
4	$680
5	$807
6	$969
7	$1,071
8	$1,224
Each additional person	$153

An estimated 35,464 households will be eligible to receive the emergency SNAP allotment in December, totaling about $7.1 million in emergency food benefits for the month.

Emergency cash benefits
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Number in GA Household	Maximum Benefit Amount
1	$201
2	$270
3	$338
4	$407
5	$475
6	$544
7	$612
8	$681
9	$750
10	$819

General Assistance (GA)

Number in GA Household	Maximum Benefit Amount
1	$79
2	$107
3	$144
4	$169
5	$209
6	$239

An estimated 149 households will be eligible to receive emergency cash assistance benefits in December, totaling about $19,800 in emergency benefits for the month.

For more information about DSS's benefit programs in response to the pandemic, go to https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dss/covid19.html. To apply for benefits, go to https://assist.dhss.delaware.gov/ or call 1-866-843-7212. To limit the spread of COVID-19, clients are asked to contact the Division of Social Services by phone or online.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

DELAWARE WILL ISSUE EMERGENCY BENEFITS FOR DECEMBER TO ELIGIBLE SNAP, TANF, AND GENERAL ASSISTANCE HOUSEHOLDS

Delaware's Government