Grocery Prices too High? Here’s How Can You Qualify for Food Stamps in Louisiana

Inflation is hitting many Americans hard. Some folks are now having to choose between food or medicine. More Louisiana families are turning to SNAP benefits to help pay for groceries.

The feds report close to 40 million Americans rely on SNAP benefits for food. SNAP is the federal government’s number 1 food assistance program. But the states administer the program and set up rules for qualifying with regard to income and family size.

A year ago, the feds started offering extra benefits because of the pandemic. That has helped many families. But the numbers continue to climb.

In the early stages, all states participated in this program. But now 13 states have opted out of participating in the emergency program. Nebraska was the first to opt out way back in July. Republican Gov. Pete Rickett said he wanted to show the rest of the nation “how to get back to normal.”

Did Louisiana Opt Out?

Louisiana is still taking advantage of the extra benefits for residents. The other 12 states who have opted out are all led by Republican governors. They are Iowa, Wyoming, Kentucky, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Tennessee have also scaled back the benefits.

You can click here to find our how much can you get in Louisiana from the SNAP program.

How Many Families Depend on SNAP?

The Associated Press reports about 10% of people across the country use SNAP to help pay for food. But many more families are finding it tough to pay for groceries these days. That's causing a strain on Food Banks. They often help supply food to public feeding groups. Donations are also down because of the high cost of food.