New Jersey - the 1st to implement minimum SNAP benefits

New Jersey SNAP participants are the first in the nation to have a guaranteed minimum benefit, which will be $95/month beginning March 1, 2023, thanks to legislation signed by Governor Phil Murphy on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. (SNAP cards photo courtesy of USDA SNAP-ed, under CC license for non-profit use.)

Federal emergency benefits slated to end 2/28, $95 state minimum begins 3/1 

TRENTON, NJ- New Jersey residents who utilize the SNAP program won’t be left in the lurch when federal SNAP emergency benefits end on Feb. 28, as the state becomes the first to institute a minimum benefit allotment. Beginning March 1, all individuals and households participating in the program will receive no less than $95 a month to assist with the rising cost of groceries and fresh essentials. 

The federal emergency benefits, in place since March 2020, are coming to a close after three years, a move anticipated by the New Jersey legislature in mid-2022. Governor Murphy signed legislation into law on June 30, 2022, establishing a $50 minimum benefit. Updated legislation was signed on Feb. 8, 2023, to increase that minimum to $95. The bill, sponsored by Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin (D-19) and Assemblywoman and Deputy Majority Leader Angela V. McKnight, whose District 31 includes Jersey City, cemented New Jersey as the first state to institute a minimum SNAP benefit. 

“By implementing a minimum monthly SNAP benefit of $95 for all beneficiaries, New Jersey is leading the nation in ensuring families have the support they need to keep putting food on the table,” Governor Murphy said, “While we may be the first state to do this, it is my hope we will not be the last to put these critical protections into effect.” 

The state benefits will be overseen by the Department of Human Services, which received an $18 million appropriation to initiate the program. How it works is simple: if a SNAP recipient is eligible for more than $95 in benefits, they receive all their funds from the federal SNAP program. If they’re eligible for less than $95, New Jersey will make up the difference. For example, a New Jersey SNAP recipient slated for $25/month in federal SNAP benefits will also receive $70/month from the state, ensuring they never get less than the $95 minimum. 

Will $95 be enough? 

For many, the $95 minimum benefit will represent a decrease from the $95 monthly emergency benefit that ends on Feb. 28, as that emergency allotment was in addition to the recipient’s initial total eligibility, not the total of what they received. 

However, a portion of SNAP recipients may find that this year’s Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) alleviates the sting.

With an 8.7% increase in Social Security payouts in 2023, the largest adjustment in nearly 40 years, the additional income may help those receiving both SSI and SNAP keep fresh food on the table. Some residents may find that the benefits cancel each other out—higher Social Security income may mean a decrease in SNAP eligibility, which is another reason New Jersey’s steps to implement a minimum benefit are so crucial. Nearly 170,000 New Jersey residents currently receive Social Security, and 769,000 individuals across 397,000 households participate in SNAP. Of those households, over 63% have a child(ren), 47% have an elderly or disabled resident, and 48% of heads of SNAP households self-report as non-white. 44% of New Jersey’s SNAP residents are working families.

Mark Dinglasan is the Director of the Office of the Food Security Advocate, a position created by the Murphy administration and to which Dinglasan was appointed last year as the first to fill the role. Like the SNAP minimum, the office is the first of its kind in the nation and was founded to combat food insecurity throughout the state with unique support to food banks and high-level policy engagement. Dinglasan spoke about the new legislation, citing it as a good starting point for NJ families facing food insecurity. 

“While we are proud that New Jersey is leading the nation in food security work,” Dinglasan said, “Today is not the end of the work but just the beginning.”

Now easier to find and keep SNAP benefits

The Department of Human Services is acting quickly to ensure all recipients are aware of the new payment structure and reports that current SNAP users should expect communication from the agency before the end of the month. General information can be found on the Department of Human Services resource page, including the SNAP Emergency Allotment Update Flyer, available in 21 languages. Recipients can also text their zip code to 898-211 for more information on food resources in their area. 

In addition to the new minimum $95 SNAP benefit, the Department of Human Services is making it easier for participants and potential participants to apply for and maintain their standing in the program. As of Dec. 16, 2022, SNAP Navigators are now in all 21 New Jersey counties. Previously, only three Navigators, agencies that confidentially assist with SNAP applications or benefits questions, served the entire state. 

“Families struggling to put food on the table should not also struggle to access help. SNAP Navigators are a free, confidential one-stop to help New Jerseyans access food assistance,” said Department of Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman, “By expanding this service, vital SNAP assistance is more reachable for all New Jersey families.”

Up-to-date income thresholds for household SNAP eligibility are always available on the Department of Human Services website. SNAP considers a household to be any group that resides at the same address and buys, prepares, and eats food together, including families, friends, and/or roommates. Seniors and those with disabilities have no income requirements for SNAP eligibility but must meet other criteria to receive benefits. Expanded federal SNAP eligibility for college students will end 30 days after the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ends, which the Biden administration has slated for May 11, 2023. All New Jersey SNAP eligibility criteria for post-secondary students ages 18-49, including part-time students enrolled in traditional colleges, trade schools, and business schools, remain in place and are subject to the new $95 minimum.

New Jersey residents wishing to check their SNAP eligibility or find more SNAP resources, like Navigators and SNAP-ed, should visit www.NJSNAP.gov or call their County Board of Social Services to get started.