SNAP and Cash COLA's effective 10/1: Child Tax Credit; ACP meeting with community providers;

We have some important news to share with you from SNAP and Cash-land! 

SNAP 12.5% Cost of Living Increase effective October 1st: 

Effective October 1st, SNAP benefits were increased by 12.5%!  What does that mean?  Well, a household of 1 person will get $281 in max SNAP monthly benefits, vs $250. And if their income is so low that they actually get the max, they will get another $95 in the SNAP emergency allotment for as long as the public health emergency (PHE) continues. 

And in addition to the SNAP increase, DTA also secured USDA approval to boost the Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) amounts as well!  That means households that are not getting max SNAP and have not reached their shelter cap - or households with a member who is age 60+ or disabled, since those households do not have a shelter cap - may see a boost in SNAP. 

MLRI’s new AmeriCorps member, Katie Kelly, has updated a number of MLRI SNAP math materials:

• Our SNAP calculation 1-page worksheet and excel SNAP math calculator here

• At-a-Glance charts for working households, families with unemployment, and elder/disabled households - to give you a quick reference sheet for the regular SNAP benefits - charts available here.

• Our popular SNAP “benchmarks” chart to help you figure out when claiming medical expenses makes a difference. (Attached and also available here)

• And here’s DTA’s guidance on the SNAP increases, Online Guide 2022-75.

If you want to reach Katie about the SNAP math or discuss a SNAP case, email: kkelly@mlri.org 

DTA Cash Grant 10% Increase - also effective October 1st

Don’t forgot!  DTA also administers two cash assistance programs: TAFDC for families with children and EAEDC for persons for age 65+, persons with disabilities and a small group of children. Thanks to the amazing work of the Lift Our Kids Coalition, the DTA cash assistance benefits grant amounts are increased by 10% effective October 1st. For DTA guidance on the TAFDC and EAEDC cash grant increases, see DTA Online Guide 2022-77 here. For the updated TAFDC and EAEDC grant charts, click here.

Final stretch - Connect families to Child Tax Credit/FindYourFunds.org by November 15!

Families who have not yet gotten their 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit - up to $3,600 per child – need to connect to the IRS by November 15 in order to get it this year! For those who do not file by November 15, they can file a tax return for 2021 in 2022 (essentially retroactively) but, for most families who haven’t yet gotten their CTC, this will be hard to do. FindYourFunds.org connects partners and families to resources in MA, including a simplified online filing portal - GetCTC - and community VITA sites who can help. FindYourFunds.org also includes resources and outreach materials in multiple languages. 

Please check with families you work with and ask if they got their Child Tax Credit dollars for all of their children. If they have not, please direct them to www.FindYourFunds.org to get help filing ASAP!! 

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)- MLRI virtual discussion 10/6 on how to help families sign up! 

ACP is a federal benefit that helps pay for the internet and buying a tablet/computer. All SNAP households are eligible, along with many other low-income families. MLRI will host a virtual discussion on Thursday, October 6 at noon with community-based organizations (CBOs) who want to learn how to help families and individuals sign up for ACP and have their internet costs fully paid for by ACP! This meeting is for CBOs who want to identify best practices and obstacles, learn from each other, and identify areas for advocacy. Register here!