April 22, 2021

Manchin: American Rescue Plan Delivers $25 Million Increase In Food Assistance Benefits For West Virginians

Video of Senator Manchin’s statement on food assistance benefits from the American Rescue Plan can be found here

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced the American Rescue Plan will deliver $25 million in food assistance benefits for West Virginians by extending current SNAP benefit levels, giving West Virginians receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits an average monthly increase of $28 per person. The American Rescue Plan passed in March, extended the 15% increase in SNAP benefits from June to September 2021.

“The American Rescue Plan delivered much needed relief to West Virginia families and individuals struggling to make ends meet a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. SNAP provides vital support for West Virginians facing food insecurity, and I am pleased this funding will provide additional food assistance for over 303,000 West Virginians currently receiving SNAP benefits and will continue the increased benefits through the end of the summer. This three month extension will support many of our fellow West Virginians in need, and I am committed to ensuring all West Virginians have the resources they need to put food on the table to feed their families,” said Senator Manchin.

American Rescue Plan Impacts on Food Assistance

  • Additional food assistance is now available for over 41 million Americans who are relying on SNAP bene?ts and 17.1 million children who need Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) because of the barriers to receiving school meals. This means a qualifying family of four is now receiving an extra $100 per month in SNAP bene?ts and $6.82 per child per day in P-EBT.
    • There are currently about 303,000 SNAP participants in West Virginia. Those West Virginians will see a $25 million increase in benefits due to the extension of benefits from June 2021 to September 2021. Additionally, West Virginians receiving SNAP benefits will see an average monthly increase of $28 in benefits per person.

A video of Senator Manchin’s statement on the increase in food assistance benefits from the American Rescue Plan can be found here.

To learn more about the American Rescue Plan funding and benefits for West Virginia, click here