More FoodShare benefits come this way
The public health emergency that was declared by the state’s governor Sept. 22, enables the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to once again provide additional FoodShare benefits to eligible households. These benefits will help those Wisconsin families, with the costs of food for October.
Also, the federal government increased the limits of how much each household can receive per person, which began Oct. 1.
Under the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act, states with declared public health emergencies are able to provide FoodShare recipients with the maximum monthly benefit amount, that is based on the number of people in their household. Wisconsin families previously received emergency benefits in March, April, May, July, August and September.
There were no emergency benefits in June, because the state did not have a declared public health emergency at that time.
“FoodShare benefits provide households that are struggling across our state, the ability to access food, one of our most basic human needs,” said Andrea Palm, secretary-designee of the the DHS. “Being able to provide these emergency allotments, is crucial to helping offset the effects of the pandemic for our hardest hit families.”
FoodShare households not currently receiving the maximum monthly benefit amount for their family size, will receive additional benefits, bringing them up to that level. The additional October benefits will be available on QUEST cards Nov. 1. Households will receive a letter notifying them of the additional benefits.
Households already receiving the maximum amount, will not receive additional benefits.
In addition, the federal government announced new monthly income limit adjustments, effective Oct. 1, 2020, that increased maximum benefit amounts, which are based on the number of people in each household. Below is a table with the new amounts.
Household size/maximum benefit: 1 – $204; 2 – $374; 3 – $535; 4 – $680; 5 – $807; 6 – $969; 7 – $1,071; 8 – $1,224; Each additional person, add $153.
