The COVID Relief Bill will help food stamp recipients in Louisiana receive more in benefits and allow more people to qualify. Recipients will see an increase of roughly 15-percent in benefits for the first half of 2021. DCFS Secretary of the Division of Family Support Shavana Howard said for a household of three…
“Prior to this act they’ve been receiving $535 and now for the month of January through June they will actually receive an increase of $81 and they’ll receive $616 a month,” said Howard.
Before the weekly $300 federal boost of pandemic unemployment benefits worked against one’s eligibility for food stamps, Howard said that’s now changed.
“Just state unemployment benefits will continue to count. So that’s huge, making people who were not eligible before potentially eligible now and really just helping people put food on the table,” said Howard.
In addition to an increase in benefits and more Louisianans eligible to receive SNAP, Howard said now college students who are enrolled at least half-time are eligible for benefits.
“And who would either be doing work-study or who have an expected family contribution of $0 would now be eligible for food assistance,” said Howard.
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