New Jersey food banks optimistic about Biden’s orders benefiting SNAP program

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits – commonly known as food stamps – are hoped to be extended following President Joe Biden’s latest executive order under his American Rescue Plan Proposal.

News 12 Staff

Jan 23, 2021, 4:21 AM

Updated 1,359 days ago

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Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits – commonly known as food stamps – are hoped to be extended following President Joe Biden’s latest executive order under his American Rescue Plan Proposal.
The order will ask the United States Department of Agriculture to extend SNAP benefits by 15% as data shows that 30 million American families are in need. Part of that population relies on food banks like Fulfill, which is headed by former New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.
“So, we’ll be very busy here processing SNAP applications and helping people at the Jersey Shore get the food that they need now,” Guadagno says.
Guadagno is the president and COO of Fulfill. She says that Biden’s executive order will help families where they need it the most – at the cash register when using their SNAP benefits through a debit card.
The food bank is most excited to see that the $3 billion investment through the executive order will also help families with children missing school meals gain access to food. Guadagno says that she hopes to see SNAP benefits expand to cover other necessities such as diapers, baby formula and feminine hygiene products. These are items Fulfill is also distributing now.
“I would love to see that there are programs for those services, but the faster service would be to put it on the SNAP cards or EBT cards and that I would love to see. I’ll be amazed if we could see that now, but that would certainly help the most people,” Guadagno says.
Under Biden’s order, a family with three children could receive more than $100 extra in benefits every two months. Fulfill is encouraging families to register for SNAP online, over the phone or through its unique “Benefits Bus,” which meets families where they live.