Senior Citizen Households’ Food Supplement Benefit Increases
New Law Implemented October 1, 2016
Contact: Kari Nye
kari.nye@maryland.gov
(410) 767-8592
Baltimore—Effective October 1, 2016, Maryland households with a member who is 62 years old or older will receive no less than $30 per month Food Supplement Program (FSP) benefits. Previously, the minimum monthly food benefit for seniors was just $16 per month. The additional benefit is the result of legislation that passed the Maryland General Assembly in April 2016, with an implementation date of October 2016.
“This reflects an important investment in the health and nutrition of low-income seniors across the state,” said Sam Malhotra, Secretary of the Department of Human Resources (DHR). “Food benefits make a big difference in people’s lives, and we’re confident that the additional FSP benefit will help these seniors put healthy food on the table.”
Of the more than 17,900 low-income senior households who receive the supplemental benefit, 88 percent will receive the highest possible minimum increase as their monthly benefit expands from $16 to $30. All customers affected by the change in legislation were notified at the end of September and encouraged to continue using their FSP benefits to purchase healthy food at grocery stores, farmer’s markets, corner markets, and other participating retailers.
DHR—the Maryland Department of Human Resources—is the state’s primary social service provider, serving more than one million people annually. Through its 24 local departments of social services, DHR aggressively pursues opportunities to assist people in economic need, provide preventive services, and protect vulnerable children and adults in each of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City. Additional information may be found at www.dhr.maryland.gov, or on Facebook and Twitter.
