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Q&A

Discussion on SNAP benefits eligibility and the benefits cliff

1:05:24

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75 sec

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Council Member Stevens raises concerns about constituents who are slightly over the income limit for SNAP benefits and asks about potential solutions.

Stevens describes cases where families are $5 over the limit and don't qualify for benefits, leaving them struggling.
Commissioner Berry acknowledges the issue of the 'benefits cliff' for most of their programs.
Berry explains that eligibility rules for SNAP are set by the federal government, limiting their options for those just over the limit.
The department's main recourse is to provide information about food pantries and community kitchens to those who don't qualify for SNAP.

Althea V. Stevens

1:05:24

And I guess my last question is one of the things one of the issues we have a lot with the constituent services is folks coming in and them being, you know, maybe $5 over the limit for snap benefits and not being able to get any benefits.

1:05:41

What are some of the solutions that you guys give to them?

1:05:43

Because I know a lot of times they come to our office, obviously we give them, you know, a list for like food pantries whatever, but is there any other support?

1:05:52

Because that's been a huge thing where we have, you know, families who do have jobs and working and they have a number of children and they're maybe like $5 over and so they're not qualifying and now they're struggling.

1:06:03

So is there any other options that they might have?

Jill Berry

1:06:09

Yeah.

1:06:10

I mean you raise a really good point that there is definitely a benefits cliff for for most of our benefits and unfortunately we don't set the eligibility rules for unfortunately we don't set the eligibility rules for most of our programs including the SNAP program.

1:06:23

They are set by the federal government and we have very limited tools when somebody is just $5 over, for example, the eligibility limit for SNAP other than providing them with information about food pantries and community kitchens.

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