A survey found that increased SNAP benefits during the pandemic helped families eat healthier foods. Credit: Adobe Stock

As temporary, additional SNAP benefits put in place during the pandemic are set to end after February, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank is urging people to reach out for assistance.

“It’s no secret that inflation is real. If you’ve never received help, it’s ok to receive help from our network of partners,” Tiffany Scruggs, vice president of client services, said. “We understand that times get hard and that is the purpose of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.”

The emergency allotments were never intended to be permanent but rather “a temporary strategy authorized by Congress to help low-income individuals and families deal with the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic” according to the USDA.

GCFB estimates that one in seven people in its service area is food insecure, meaning they have inadequate access to food or do not know how or where they’ll get their next meal. According to Scruggs, the termination of the emergency allotments will mean a $23 million loss in benefits in Cuyahoga County per month.

“Our goal is to provide awareness and strategies centered around making sure community members know where to access food,” Scruggs said, emphasizing that there is nothing recipients can do to continue receiving the emergency allotments.

Scruggs said SNAP recipients should not try to contact their local Jobs and Family Services Office, as call wait times can take hours and the office has no control over the cuts.

“There’s nothing that a resident can do to keep these benefits…with this being a federal change there is no advocacy, there is no other option at this time,” said Scruggs. “Contacting your local Jobs and Family Services will not change the outcome.”

GCFB partners with more than 1,000 agencies and programs in the Cleveland area and has an interactive map to help users find local partners .

People facing food insecurity — SNAP recipients or otherwise — can call the GCFB help center at 216-738-2067 or visit its website.

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This article appears in Feb 8-21, 2023.