TULSA, Okla. — Oklahomans depending on SNAP Emergency Allotments will have to find another way to feed their families as the COVID-19 relief program expires nationwide in February.
More than 408,000 Oklahomans receive SNAP food benefits and many of those people include children, the elderly and people with disabilities. For almost three years, people who receive those benefits have been getting additional funds.
The February expiration will impact families like those of Tulsa's Ginger Delaloye whose daughter benefits from the SNAP emergency funds.
"When the emergency benefits are removed, my daughter will get $23 a month," Delaloye said. "She has been on disability since Oct 3rd, 2006, from a horrible care accident."
The emergency allotments provide families relief at the end of the month in addition to the normal SNAP benefits loaded onto EBT cards at the beginning of the month.
"With the income requirements which she makes basically nothing and at $23 a month, she simply won't be able to eat unless I feed her," Delaloye said.
Local shopper Rashauna Martin said she is in a similar situation.
"I don't think they should do that right now," Martin said. "I think they should continue it. I don't think they should expire right now. A lot of families are still in need and that helps a lot."
Martin said her normal benefits come out to $200 each month, but the emergency allotments helped her come away with about $400.
"I've got a son he's 13 and he eats a lot so it definitely helps," she said. "Everything is going up so that definitely is a big help with the food stamps and stuff."
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services says it wants to give families as much time as possible to prepare for the upcoming changes to their benefits.
With these emergency allotments expiring, Oklahoma Human Services says that could increase the demand on our charitable organizations here and they are asking everyone to step up and help.
The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, Regional Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, Hunger Free Oklahoma, Be A Neighbor and Oklahoma Women, Infants & Children are all entities across the state prepared to help famlies in need of food.
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