08 May 2022

The End of Nutrition Assistance Emergency Allotment in These Times of Increasing High Inflation For Basic Necessities

In April 2020, the Federal Government authorized the issuance of emergency NA benefits for households across the nation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, while the rates of transmission for new virus variants may not be so severe now, the increasing costs for basic necessities of food and shelter have risen more than wages and incomes of those who are now facing more hardships and rising FOOD INSECURITY.
INFLATION and rising food costs have never been higher - Arizona on the average has the highest inflation at 10.9% in the entire nation.
End of Nutrition Assistance Emergency Allotment

Eligible Arizona households have been receiving Nutrition Assistance (NA) Emergency Allotments in addition to their current monthly NA benefit amount. The additional assistance was provided to help address temporary food needs during the public health emergency.

Per federal guidelines, the additional allotment is ending. The April NA emergency allotment will be the last emergency benefit that the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) will issue.

The Reason for This Change

In April 2020, the Federal Government authorized the issuance of emergency NA benefits for households across the nation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Arizona’s State of Emergency Declaration ended March 30, 2022, and as a result, Arizona households are no longer eligible for emergency allotments.

 

Dear Customer,
Arizona’s State of Emergency Declaration ended 03/30/2022. With the end of the State emergency declaration, Arizona will no longer issue Nutrition Assistance (NA) Emergency Allotments.
During the public health emergency, eligible NA households have been receiving NA Emergency Allotments in addition to their regular monthly benefit amount.  The last month the NA Emergency Allotments will be issued is 04/2022. 

Beginning in 05/2022, eligible NA households will no longer receive these additional NA emergency benefits.

For more information regarding the reason for this change, visit https://des.az.gov/end-nutrition-assistance-emergency-allotment.

No comments: