May 18, 2020 3:25 a.m.
Oregonians receiving food benefits will get additional assistance in June to help with the continued impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
An update from the Oregon Department of Human Services said the department began issuing additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in April. Individuals and families have received the maximum allotment based on the number of eligible members in the household during this time. The release said that due to the continued state of emergency, the U.S. Food and Nutrition Services has provided an additional $30 million to help children and adults in Oregon to buy food.
Dan Haun, director of Self-Sufficiency Programs said, “there are many Oregon families who continue to be caught between reduced hours or unemployment and waiting for other assistance to help them makes ends meet until it is safe to return or find new work”. He said that having an additional month of federal funds available for eligible recipients helps to ensure that people have access to the basic necessity of food during the ongoing crisis.
The release said the additional funding will allow Oregonians on SNAP to receive the maximum benefit for June. That means a family of four that normally receives a $346 monthly allotment, would receive a supplement of $300.