Food stamps: Maryland citizens receive up to $1,751 in February benefits, which expire in 3 days

Maryland will provide low-income citizens with their final January Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments on Friday.

In the Old Line State, food stamps might be provided through Friday. The first 3 letters of a family’s last name determine the recipient’s exact date of SNAP payments, which are given to eligible residents between January 4 and January 23.

By Tuesday, those whose last names start with AAA through STC must have gotten their money. Benefits must be collected on Wednesday for beneficiaries with last names STD through TRA, Thursday for beneficiaries with last names TRB through WES, and Friday for those with last names WET through ZZZ. Here is a complete list of all last names along with the dates that correspond with them.

A maximum of $291 can be received by a single family, a maximum of $1,155 by a family of 5, and a maximum of $1,751 by a family of 8. After eight people, a family might receive up to $219 per person. The most current cost-of-living adjustments for 2023–2024 are the basis for these sums.

Food stamp recipients in Maryland number about 772,700, or 13% of the state’s total population, based on the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

For someone to be eligible for SNAP, their gross income must not exceed 200% of the federal poverty threshold. The maximum yearly income for a single family is $18,954, while the maximum annual income for a family of 5 is $45,682.

Maryland refers to the electronic benefits transfer card that is used to distribute benefits as the Independence Card. The first 3 letters of the recipients’ last names determine when they will get their money. Food items including cereal, bread, poultry, and meat products, as well as seeds for gardening, can be purchased with SNAP. Pet meals, cleaning products, and alcohol cannot be purchased with SNAP.