All Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be fully funded for the 42 million Americans that rely on them for help affording healthy food.
Earlier in the month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Trump administration partially funded SNAP benefits during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
Those disbursements had been sent in many states, and the legal battle over whether the federal government had to fully fund the program was still being played out when the government reopened earlier this week.
The Mississippi Department of Human Services announced on Nov. 13 that the full amount will be available soon.
Here’s what we know about when SNAP benefits could be issued, who gets them in Mississippi and how to find a food bank if you still need help before the rest of your benefits are disbursed.
When will I get my SNAP benefits?
According to MDHS, the state will start issuing the rest of the full amount for benefits as soon as possible for people with issue dates from Nov. 1-13.
The Nov. 14 and Nov. 21 issue dates will get the full amounts on the regular date.
All December benefits are set to go out on time.
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 bbolden@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi will issue full SNAP benefits. When? What you need to know
