February food stamp benefits going out early

If you receive food stamps, you’ll be getting February’s benefits even earlier than anticipated.

Officials with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration say they’ve been informed by the USDA that the state must issue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for the month of February this Wednesday, January 16th rather than the previously reported date of Saturday, January 19.

In Indiana, SNAP benefits are usually issued to recipients according to an alphabetical schedule over a 19 day period throughout the month. This one-time early benefit distribution was identified by USDA officials as a mechanism provide SNAP benefits during the partial federal government shutdown.

No SNAP benefits will be issued in the month of February, so recipients are strongly encouraged to budget their SNAP benefits to ensure the amount received provides for their food needs through all of February. January benefits are being distributed according to the normal schedule. The FSSA will continue to accept and process applications for benefits for January issuance through January 31st.