Mississippians who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help with food costs will soon receive partial payments, the Mississippi Department of Human Services announced via news release Monday afternoon, Nov. 10.
The payments will start today, covering up to 65% of the expected November allotments for eligible Mississippi SNAP beneficiaries.
MDHS says the benefits amounts are based on guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.
“SNAP benefits are issued on a rolling basis between the 4th and the 21st of each month,” MDHS stated. “Those recipients who typically receive their benefits between the 4th and 10th of the month will be included in the upcoming issuance of benefits as early as November 10. All other recipients will receive their benefits on their regularly scheduled issuance date.”
SNAP payments had been delayed amidst the federal government shutdown.
About 42 million people rely on the program to help with food costs, including more than 380,000 in Mississippi.
In its press release, MDHS advises recipients to do the following:
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Register for a Connect EBT account and save ConnectEBT to their cell phone home screen and change their PIN after every use to reduce their risk of being the victim of fraud and skimming.
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Ensure all case information is current to avoid interruptions in benefits.
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Follow MDHS social media channels for the latest updates on additional benefit funding and program announcements.
How many people in Mississippi get SNAP?
About 385,000 people or 13% of the state got food stamps each month in 2024, according to the Center on Budget and Priorities.
About 39% of recipients have income at or below 50% of the poverty line. Another 14% have income that’s 51% to 100% of the poverty line, and about 47% have income that’s at or more than the poverty line, according to CBPP analysis for USDA data.
Mississippi SNAP benefits by the numbers
According to the Center on Budget and Priorities’ analysis of USDA data from 2024:
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1 in 8 Mississippi families get help from SNAP
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67% of Mississippi participants are in families that have kids
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More than 41% are in families with older or disabled adults
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More than 26% are in working families
What is the average monthly SNAP benefit per person in Mississippi?
On average, according to CBPP, each Mississippi household that gets SNAP benefits drew $183 per member a month in 2022. That came to about $6.01 per day per person.
Average monthly SNAP benefits, per the CBPP analysis looked like:
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Households with kids: $548
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Households with older adults: $109
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Household with disabled, non-elderly, residents: $231
How can I find a food bank near me?
MDHS provided links to three major food banks that help support communities across the Magnolia State:
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at [email protected].
Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: When will SNAP benefits resume? Mississippi to pay partial payment
