TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – People who got a temporary boost to their food budget early in the pandemic through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will see their benefits return to normal in March. So, those who receive SNAP benefits in Kansas, Illinois and Oklahoma will get less money next month. But those extra benefits ended even earlier in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska.
Cecelia Proffit lives in Iowa City, Iowa and says when her family’s benefits got cut back they had to strategize on how to make a limited amount of food last longer for four people. “The stress just ticks up,” she said. “You start thinking again ‘how long can I make a gallon of milk last? What do I do if my kids won’t eat this?’ The mental load just gets that much heavier.”
Anti-hunger organizations say many low-income households will be hit hard when the emergency allotments go away.
