Starting late February, households in Washington, D.C. that receive their much-needed food stamps assistance will experience a temporary increase in their benefits, according to an announcement made by the District’s Department of Human Services on Friday.
This development marks the resolution of a prolonged disagreement between Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s administration and the D.C. Council regarding the implementation of a local enhancement to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The standoff centered on a nearly $40 million budget provision approved by the council last year, intended to boost SNAP benefits locally from this month through September.
Washington D.C. SNAP Benefits: Some Extra Cash to Come in February
The supplementary local benefit, amounting to up to 10 percent of a family’s federal maximum monthly allotment based on household size, is expected to assist approximately 83,000 households, as highlighted in a statement by the Department of Human Services.
On February 17, the Department of Human Services (DHS) will dispatch notifications to SNAP households, apprising them of the forthcoming temporary benefit adjustment. Subsequently, on February 23, the District of Columbia will disburse retroactive supplementary payments for January and February SNAP benefits directly onto the existing EBT cards of each recipient.
Starting March 1, the supplemental benefit will be seamlessly integrated with the regular SNAP payments, as outlined in the official news release.
What Do I Have to Do to Get the Additional Money?
It is important to note that SNAP recipients need not submit a separate application to access the temporary increase. However, the statement underscores that the program’s finite funds, coupled with the variable caseload of SNAP, may lead to a reduction in benefits come September if the available funds become insufficient.
The 10 percent augmentation to SNAP hinged on surplus revenue, a determination made by the city’s chief financial officer in the fall. However, several weeks later, both Bowser’s administration and the Department of Human Services (DHS) concurred that the temporary increase was impractical. This decision arose in the context of the agency grappling with a budget deficit and being significantly strained while managing current social services programs that have experienced escalated demand.
However, the administration reversed its position the previous week following a threat of legal action from a local nonprofit against the Department of Human Services (DHS) for its refusal to implement the increase. The day before this change, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) introduced a resolution granting the council the authority to pursue legal action or endorse other litigation related to SNAP. On Tuesday, Mendelson withdrew the resolution before the council’s legislative meeting. He conveyed to his colleagues that, while he aimed to keep the council’s options open, he deemed it inappropriate to proceed just after securing a commitment from the mayor.
“It’s a relief that we actually have some firm dates in hand when we know benefits will be disbursed to residents,” said LaMonika Jones, director of D.C. Hunger Solutions, which is among the many advocacy groups that had pushed for the increased benefit.
Summer EBT for Children in Need
Back in November, the administration under Bowser had put forth a proposal to allocate funds for the administrative expenses of Summer EBT. This federal initiative provides families with school-aged children $40 per child per month over three months. This proposition was presented as an alternative to a temporary increase in SNAP, according to insights shared by Council Member Christina Henderson (I-At Large).
Despite meeting the January 1 deadline to submit a notice of intent for the Summer EBT program, Henderson mentioned in a recent interview on Friday that Bowser’s administration is now contemplating initiating the program in 2025 due to the decision to prioritize increasing SNAP.