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'A life-saving measure' | Food pantries stock up ahead of expiration of enhanced benefits in Indiana

Food pantries are working hard to keep people afloat, but it's also increasing their bottom line to levels higher than before.

NEW ALBANY, Ind. — With the end of the pandemic comes the end of extra assistance and one program that is losing funding is hitting local families hard.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, received added benefits over the course of the pandemic. Now, some of these enhancements are rolling back and food pantries are overwhelmed trying to fill in the gaps.

"Within the past year we've seen 683 brand new clients," said Angela Graf, the Executive Director of Hope Southern Indiana.

During peak COVID season, SNAP benefits were being enhanced, allowing families to receive up to the maximum amount allotted for their household. For a family of three that would be a maximum allotment of $658.

With these enhancements now being rolled back after May, that amount could be cut in half.

"At the beginning of the pandemic, what we saw was people scrambling for food, they were paying their bills, and their food was going along the wayside. We even saw seniors giving up their prescriptions in order to buy food, and we were like, no, this is backwards," said Graf.

RELATED: States scale back food stamp benefits even as prices soar

Hope Southern Indiana works to not only feed those in need but also help families with other bills as they arise.

"We're helping with a lot of evictions, people that put off other things, you know, put off paying those big bills, and now they're coming due," said Graf.

Pantries across southern Indiana are working hard to keep people afloat, but it's also increasing their bottom line to levels higher than before.

That's the case for a community pantry at the Community Montessori Public Charter School which accepts donations for those battling food insecurity.

Credit: Ford Sanders/WHAS11

"By the time we left, I mean, we stocked it pretty well, by the time we left three families had already come, you know, and over half of it was gone at that point, it's very, very difficult to keep it stocked," said Erin Lewis, the Volunteer Coordinator for the CMPCS Pantry.

Lewis said they need the community's help with stocking the pantry because they know what might come with the benefit enhancements being rolled back.

"If that is being cut back for them, they really are not going to have anywhere else to turn but to these food pantries. And it literally is a life-saving measure for these people," said Lewis.

Here is a look at the maximum benefits able to be received on SNAP in Indiana. With the enhancement, anyone on SNAP could receive these maximums:

  • 1 person: $250
  • 2 people: $459
  • 3 people: $658
  • 4 people: $835
  • 5 people: $992
  • 6 people: $1,190
  • 7 people: $1,316
  • 8 people: $1,504

Each Additional Member is an added $188.

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