Gov. Greg Abbott has announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission will provide approximately $177 million in emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits for the month of June in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HHSC received federal approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to extend the maximum, allowable amount of SNAP benefits to recipients based on family size.
"As we continue the process of safely and strategically opening Texas for business, we are committed to ensuring families across the state have access to nutritious food," Abbott said in a prepared statement. "This extension of emergency benefits will help Texans in need provide for their families while our state continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic."
The move was also praised by Texas HHS Access and Eligibility Services deputy executive commissioner Wayne Salter.
"This extension helps ensure those who need it most are able to continue providing nutritious food for their families and maintain their health," Salter said. "We’ll continue to be flexible in our response to this pandemic to make sure Texans can access the services they need as this situation evolves."
Abbott's office said that more than 900,000 SNAP households across Texas will see the additional amount on their Lone Star Card by June 12.
The emergency June allotments are in addition to the $414.7 million in benefits previously provided to Texans in April and May.
SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately 1.4 million eligible low-income families and individuals in Texas. It is administered by the HHSC,
For more information about applying for benefits, including Medicaid and SNAP, go to
YourTexasBenefits.com [lnks.gd]
or use the Your Texas Benefits mobile app to manage their benefits.