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Two California residents say that the Department of Agriculture’s decision to deny emergency food assistance benefits to those households already receiving the maximum amount of food stamps harms those who need assistance the most.
They urge the USDA to increase access to food stamps in California.
The SNAP benefits in California class action lawsuit was filed by Robin Hall and Steven Summers. They explain that they are each in a household of one person, each receiving the maximum SNAP food assistance benefits for their household size. Because they are receiving the maximum amount of benefits, they allegedly are unable to receive emergency benefits.
For background to their claims, the two California residents explain that the COVID-19 health crisis has created social and economic disruption in the form of rising unemployment and decreased access to food.
Shelter-in-place orders have made it harder for many people to access food even if it is available. Additionally, the price of food available has risen such that it is becoming inaccessible to many.
This is particularly the case with food staples, as prices for these essentials have risen.
These conditions brought on by the coronavirus reportedly has led to one in four California households to be food insecure.
The federal government has attempted to address these conditions by passing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, say Hall and Summers. They note that this act included further support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly called the Food Stamp program.
Congress also reportedly instructed the Secretary of Agriculture to provide additional assistance to states by approving their requests for emergency benefits.
These requests would allow emergency benefits to be given to current SNAP recipients, providing them with further assistance during the exceptional COVID-19 crisis conditions.
According to Summers and Hall’s claims regarding food stamps in California, the USDA has instructed the states to not offer additional, emergency benefits to those household who are already receiving the maximum SNAP benefits.
This has allegedly had the effect of denying emergency assistance to those who are the most vulnerable.
Hall and Summers explain that the people who are already receiving the highest amount of benefits possible are those people with the highest demonstrated need — they have the “lowest incomes, fewest resources, and greatest likelihood of hunger.”
In effect, the USDA’s system of distributing emergency benefit effectively denies assistance to those in the greatest need, the plaintiffs argue.
To combat this, Hall and Summers attempt to challenge the USDA’s interpretation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and ask the government to ensure that the families who are most in need have access to benefits.
In the SNAP benefits in California class action lawsuit, the California residents explain that the maximum SNAP allotment is determined by household size.
For a household of one individual, the maximum that a person can receive is $194 per month, which is around $6.38 per day or around $2 per meal.
However, given the rising cost of food and decreased access, this amount does not go as far as it would under normal conditions, say Hall and Summers.
California in particular has been hard hit by the coronavirus food insecurity, they say. The plaintiffs note that the most job loss has been experienced in the entertainment, hospitality, food, and service industries, explaining that already, these industries have workers who are most likely to be food insecure. Now, the situation is more dire than it was before.
Though the state of California and the Department of Agriculture have decided to use the emergency funds to bring all SNAP recipients up to the maximum benefits during the coronavirus crisis, this has reportedly had the effect of shutting the people most in need out of additional benefits.
Hall and Summers explain that this view about access to food stamps in California has already been expressed by the California Department of Social Services. This department reportedly sent a letter rejecting the USDA’s interpretation of the additional assistance, saying that not providing benefits to the families most in need would not help “alleviate the negative impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic” as intended and would actively harm families.
How has your community been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? Has access to social services increased in your area? Share your pandemic experiences in the comments below.
Hall and Summers are represented by Lindsay Nako, Jocelyn D. Larkin, and David S. Nahmias of the Impact Fund and by Alexander Prieto, Richard Rothschild, Antionette D. Dozier, and Rebecca Miller of the Western Center on Law & Poverty.
The Food Stamps in California Access Class Action Lawsuit is Robin Hall, et al. v. United States Department of Agriculture, et al., Case No. 4:20-cv-03454-HSG, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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13 thoughts onSNAP Recipients Unfairly Denied Emergency Food Assistance, Lawsuit Claims
Please add me
I’m on disability, my husband is my caregiver and we get max amount but lime others have stated its not enough. Living in Florida is hard enough but food prices keep going up but fs don’t. Help in Florjda please….
I live in Georgia and food stamps office would not allow me to receive emergency stamps. Cause I was already receiving max.
Add me
I am in the state of Missouri. I have 4 children that are school ages. I do not get food stamps because my income is $6 to much for a family of 5. My kids do qualify for free breakfast and lunch. Their school told me to apply for P-SNAP. I applied and I was denied.
I’m in same situation as lady above..I get $194 monthly..I cant work being a shooting victim..waiting for my SSI to get approved. $194 does not last me a month..especially now with this crisis we r in. As it is it’s hard for me to go out in public because of my ptsd..ugh! $2 a meal a day..I want to see someone try that for month. I been like this for 2 yrs now
I feel the same way. I have been unable to work because of my disabilties, have a pending application for SSDI, at the time I had a scheduled exam for my claim but due to the Covid-19 that was cancelled and it has extended my already long wait for a decision. In the meantime, no income, only $194 SNAP but I didn’t get any emergency food assistance! Even called and wrote letters to SSA asking for DIRE needs help and was denied help.
Being a severely disabled 50 something woman who requires 24/7 care and already receives the maximum Calfresh benefits for one member household was difficult enough trying to go a month on $194 for food and now with the stores never having items in stock or items available for delivery its costing way more than the benefit amount received each month. With my having to use the first $145-$150 to purchase four cases of Ensure every month that’s hard enough but to be in this pandemic situation, then the shoppers just want to buy extreme quantities leaving nothing for others leading the most needy left to purchase food items they normally wouldn’t has left a lot of us without food and/or beverages a week or so before the month even ends. We need help to. I have a live in care provider because I can’t do life’s daily tasks and if I can’t find any help with obtaining my living essentials I won’t be eating either. It’s quite unfair and upsetting to see how those who are truly in need of any and all help aren’t even considered or eligible for these temporary relief aids.
If it’s possible to add my name and join this SNAP Class Action Lawsuit here in California, please, please add me.
Thank you do very much.
God bless you!
My sons and myself are homeless qualifyed for food needs within the 3 day rule. I applied for Snap its been almost 2 months no call, no voicemail left, no food. Thanks for all the help my communnity,does nothing but line politians pockets. Thanks once again Sacramento County for nothing.
Add me please never have enough food . I m sick very hard to stay alive . Need more food .