During the shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service instructed states to make February food stamp benefits available on or before Jan. 20, since the end of the shutdown was unknown.
Because of the early February issuance, Ohio plans to provide half of families’ March benefit amounts this month and the rest in March. Ohio expects to return to the standard cycle of benefits issuance in April, barring another shutdown.
Bill Morrison, executive director of the county’s Job and Family Services, said in January he was worried people would think the extra money is a bonus and overspend their benefit, potentially leaving them with nothing the next month.
“It’s not like a bonus or a gift. We’re a little concerned people will think, ‘Gosh that’s great, I got a lot more food stamps, I can go out and buy a lot more food,’” Morrison said last month. “There will not be any other allocation that occurs in February so people need to budget their food stamps so it’ll last them through February.”
ODJFS administers food stamps in partnership with the county JFS offices. Households may qualify for benefits if their income is at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. In Ohio, recipients use an electronic benefits transfer card, known as the Ohio Direction Card, to buy unprepared food and food products.
For questions call the Butler County JFS office at (513) 887-5600.
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