Newly unemployed may qualify for federal food assistance
As record numbers of people lose their jobs requests for help buying food have also skyrocketed, but the numbers might actually not be high enough. Experts believe many more people who are unemployed right now probably qualify for federal food benefits like SNAP, but they're not taking advantage.
"There is so much need," said Project Bread President Erin McAleer. "We have a whole new group that's never faced this before."
Project Bread is a nonprofit that partners with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in helping people sign up for food benefit programs like SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program once known as food stamps. The benefits are paid for totally by Washington but are run by the Mass Department of Transitional Assistance which says new applications are up three to four times from before the pandemic.
"We know from late March, over 38% of Massachusetts is food insecure," said McAleer. "That number is significantly going up. Do not let the stigma deter you."
McAleer says many of the newly unemployed may qualify for federal food assistance.
"Folks on unemployment should not assume that they're not eligible because of that income," she said. "It's definitely a factor but we know a lot of folks who are on unemployment can also access SNAP."
Project Bread asks questions about your household to find the best benefit program. At times as many as 80 people have been on hold with the organization waiting to talk with just 11 counselors, but the monthly food help can be worth it.
"Household of four, it's about $640," McAleer said. "For a household of five, it's over $700."
Most important, McAleer says, is getting eligible people on the federal programs, into grocery stores and out of lines at food banks or pantries.
"Frankly, our food pantries can't feed everyone, and we want them to be able to feed those who are not eligible for these programs," McAleer said.
Also this week families of any student who receives free or reduced-price lunch will be getting Pandemic food assistance cards automatically. They cover $28.50 of groceries for each child in the household each week.
To contact Project Bread, call 1-800-645-8333 or visit projectbread.org