PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania has temporarily expanded its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to eligible college students during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Beforehand, if a college student was living at home and his or her family was receiving SNAP benefits, the student would not be counted in the household unless there was an exemption.
Now with the program expansion, food assistance will be accessible to certain college students, who would normally be ineligible based on their families’ income.
“Our ways of life and routines have changed to keep ourselves and our communities safe from this virus,” said Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller. “Jobs that students would normally work on campuses or around their schools may have reduced hours or are not an option anymore, meaning that students and families with more limited resources may be struggling even more to meet their most essential needs.”
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Between February 2020 — pre-pandemic — and December 2020, enrollment for SNAP increased statewide by 4.9%.
“Students often have to take out large loans to cover not just tuition and housing costs, but other things, like books, technology and supplies, transportation, and even basic necessities like food,” Miller added. “To make ends meet, they may be forced to skip a meal from time to time.”
The benefits will be available to eligible students through the pandemic and for 30 days after the public health emergency ends.
“Additionally, we urge Congress to make this change permanent so that no student needs to go hungry again,” she said.