Texas Governor Greg Abbott made an announcement Tuesday that should come as a relief for families who are experiencing financial hardship due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Abbot reports that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has extended emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through June.

HHSC is expected to provide approximately $300 million in emergency funds for the program this month after receiving approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA authorized an extension of the minimum allowable amount of SNAP benefits granted to Texans based on family size. Since April of 2020, Texas has provided over $2 billion in food benefits to people in need.

According to the Governor's Office, SNAP recipients will continue to receive a 15% increase in total benefits until June. The increased emergency allotment is expected to appear in recipients' accounts by February 28.

"We are grateful for this additional extension of emergency SNAP benefits for the month of February," said Governor Abbott. "We will continue to provide Texas families with the resources they need to put food on the table and provide for their loved ones."

Texans experiencing financial hardship and food insecurity can apply for SNAP benefits at yourtexasbenefits.com. The site also contains information for applying for Medicaid, TANF, and WIC.

Texans are hardworking people, but with our economy slowly rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic, it's understandable that many families are in need of some help right now. Don't be shy about applying if you could use some food assistance while you're getting back on your feet.

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