Everything costs more these days, but for the most vulnerable across the nation, food stamp benefits were just cut back to pre-pandemic levels. The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County now anticipates another surge in hunger. The nonprofit, which has backstopped nutritional needs across the county for more than three decades, is working to add food sources, and the Foodbank recently received a grant of $500,000 from the Balay Ko Foundation that requires community matches. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had boosted benefits in 2020 to the highest tier for recipients, ranging from an additional $95 to $400 through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Now that the national emergency is declared over, in Santa Barbara County, more than 32,000 households are affected by the end of the pandemic’s emergency food benefits.
Surge in Hunger Expected with End of Pandemic Food Assistance Program
