AUSTIN (KFDX/KJTL) — Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced the Texas Health and Human Services Commission has provided funding to extend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food benefits for the month of November.

An estimated 1.6 million Texas households are expected to receive help from the more than $334.5 million in SNAP benefits provided by the HHSC’s most recent allotment.

“Because of the emergency SNAP benefits provided by HHSC, millions of Texans have access to nutritious food for themselves and their families,” Abbott said. “The State of Texas continues providing the assistance and support needed to help Texans stay healthy and take care of their loved ones.”

SNAP is a federal program administered by the HHSC to provide food assistance to eligible low-income families and individuals in Texas.

The HHSC received federal approval from the USDA to extend the maximum allowable amount of SNAP benefits to recipients based on family size. All SNAP households will receive a minimum of $95 in emergency allotments.

The emergency November allotments are in addition to the more than $8.7 billion in benefits previously provided to Texans since April 2020. 

“As we head into the holiday season, we hope these additional allotments provide nourishing meals to Texans in need,” Wayne Salter, the Texas HHS Access and Eligibility Services deputy executive commissioner said.

The additional emergency allotment should appear in recipients’ accounts by Nov. 30.

Texans in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP, at YourTexasBenefits.com. Texans can manage their benefits with the Your Texas Benefits mobile app, which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.