Extra Federal Food Benefits Due to COVID-19 End in March

In Mecklenburg County and across the nation, emergency allotments for COVID-19 in the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) program will end in March 2023. Households that have been receiving extra FNS benefits (called "emergency allotments") each month since March 2020 or after will see a reduction in benefits because of a federal change that ends emergency allotments for all states.

As part of the COVID-19 public health emergency, families enrolled in the FNS program have been receiving at least $95 extra per month since March 2020 through emergency allotments. With the end of emergency allotments, the average FNS benefit per person per day will decrease from $8.12 to $5.45.

More than 77,000 households in Mecklenburg County have benefitted from the emergency allotments. They have been critical in helping families compensate for financial and economic hardships due to COVID-19, and giving more families access to nutritious meals that support healthy and productive lives.

Beneficiaries will continue to receive their regular monthly benefit amounts in March 2023 based on a person's or household's current eligibility, income, household size and other federal eligibility requirements. FNS recipients can view their regular monthly FNS benefit amount and their emergency allotment amount online at www.ebtedge.com.

N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) encourages families to keep their FNS information up to date to help them get the greatest benefits they are eligible to receive.

Food and Nutrition Services is a federal food assistance program that provides low-income families the food they need for a nutritionally adequate diet. Benefits are issued via Electronic Benefit Transfer cards (EBT cards).

To learn more or to apply for benefits, visit Mecklenburg County's Food and Nutrition Services web page or call 704-336-3000.