COLUMBIA, S.C. — A new change from the South Carolina Department of Social Services means an adjustment for people who've been receiving an added benefit for nearly three years.
Starting February 1, 2023, all SNAP households will go back to receiving their regular monthly benefit amount.
Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, emergency COVID SNAP benefits were added to help families out. Now that's going away.
Snap recipient Jeannette Henderson tells News 19 everyone's been dealing with more challenges since COVID started.
"I don't think that should happen because COVID did a lot of damage and the moment it happened, price of food went straight up," Henderson said.
She explains she used the extra SNAP money on her electric bill and household items like toilet paper.
"It did wonders for us, for us to get a raise on our stamps," Henderson said.
Tonia Jackson, a snap recipient in South Congaree tells News 19 she wished the benefits would extend a little longer so more people could get back on their feet.
"Eggs are expensive, chicken is expensive, everything that you put towards on your table is expensive and the extra money that I had, if I had any extra money, it went towards gas in the car, so that I can be able to go back and forth to work," Jackson said.
But another SNAP recipient, Loree Roberts from Red Bank, tells News 19 it'll be a doable readjustment by re-budgeting and being more frugal.
"Like they say, all good things must come to an end and you've got to get ready for that. Life throws a curve, you've got to swerve," Roberts said.
The South Carolina Governor's Office sent News 19 a statement about these SNAP benefits.
"By recently passing legislation that will end the emergency allotments, even Congress has acknowledged that they were always meant to be temporary. The governor made the decision that January will be the last month they're available in South Carolina after careful consideration. It's important to note that recipients will have time to plan as they continue receiving the emergency allotment for another month and that there will be no interruption to their pre-pandemic benefits."
According to DSS, as of last month, more than 308,000 households representing over 620,000 people in the state are receiving SNAP benefits.