Syracuse, New York (WSYR-TV) - For many families, getting through this economic crisis means turning to help they may never have sought in the past.
Wednesday, as they do every October 1, individuals and families on food stamps will see an increase in their monthly benefits. But this increase is the most significant in a long time.
The amount an individual or family receives is based on the Thrifty Food Plan, which is the USDA's estimate of how much it costs to buy food. When the Farm Bill passed in June, it called for more funding for the food stamp program and for the benefits to be adjusted each year from now on, to accurately reflect inflation.
The head of outreach for the Food Bank of central New York said this increase is unheard of, the most significant in two decades. The minimum benefit now goes from $10 a month to $14.
For an average family of four, the monthly amount they receive in food stamps now goes from $542 to $588.
Amalia Swan from the Food Bank says that while it may not seem like a lot, it is huge for the families who rely on these benefits.
“This year is different. More people are in need. We have more and more working families trying to figure out, ‘do I pay for prescriptions or do I pay for a meal?’”
Swan says in Onondaga County alone, they typically have 700 applications a month, but in August and September, those applications skyrocketed to 1,200.
New York has a helpful website set up for you to determine whether you and your family are eligible for food stamps, and other help.
Click here to visit the website.
