DHSS Press Release

DELAWARE WILL ISSUE EMERGENCY BENEFITS FOR APRIL TO ALL SNAP HOUSEHOLDS AND TO ELIGIBLE TANF AND GENERAL ASSISTANCE HOUSEHOLDS

All SNAP households will now receive at least $95 in emergency food benefits each month that COVID-19 crisis continues

NEW CASTLE (April 27, 2021) - The Delaware Division of Social Services will issue emergency benefits for April 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, April 28, 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, April 28.

As a result of President Biden's Jan. 22 Executive Order on Economic Relief Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic and subsequent guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, all households with open SNAP cases will now receive at least $95 in emergency food benefits each month that Delaware continues to have a State of Emergency Declaration for COVID-19. This change provides additional assistance to families who are most in need during the pandemic.

Beginning this month, Delaware will issue emergency food benefits to all SNAP households as follows:

• SNAP households receiving the maximum food benefit amount for their household size will receive $95 in emergency food benefits.
• SNAP households with a calculated emergency food benefit amount less than $95 will have their emergency benefit increased to $95.
• SNAP households with a calculated emergency benefit amount of $95 or more will continue to receive the calculated emergency benefit amount to increase the household's monthly benefit up to the maximum benefit amount for their household size. There is no change in emergency benefits for these households.

The emergency assistance for TANF and GA families will increase a household's monthly benefit for each program up to the maximum benefit amount for their household size. Households that already receive the maximum TANF or GA benefit amount or that have a prorated benefit in the month of April are not eligible for the April emergency cash funds.

Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, which was signed into law in March 2020, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has issued emergency benefits each month to eligible households.

"We are grateful for this continued assistance to vulnerable Delawareans as the public health emergency remains in effect," said DHSS Secretary Molly Magarik. "In particular, the recent actions of President Biden and the USDA give some of our hardest-hit residents and their families an additional increase in food benefits."

How the monthly emergency benefit is calculated: A household's monthly emergency benefit equals the current maximum benefit amount for the household size minus the household's current monthly benefit amount. For example, based on current USDA limits for SNAP benefits, if a household of 1 gets $100 in regular monthly benefits, they will receive $134 in emergency benefits ($234 maximum benefit minus $100 monthly benefit).

Here are the current maximum monthly benefit amounts per household size for SNAP, TANF, and General Assistance:

Emergency SNAP benefits

Number in SNAP Household	Maximum Benefit Amount Adjusted with the 15 percent increase effective Jan-Sep 2021
1	$234
2	$430
3	$616
4	$782
5	$929
6	$1,114
7	$1,232
8	$1,408
Each additional person	$176

An estimated 52,985 Delaware households will receive the emergency SNAP allotment in April, totaling about $10 million in emergency food benefits for the month

Emergency cash benefits
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Number in TANF 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 170 households will be eligible to receive emergency cash assistance benefits in April, totaling about $23,400 in emergency benefits for the month.

In addition to the emergency benefits, households will receive their regular benefits for April on the usual issuance dates

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's Government

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