New Yorkers who receive support from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will be able to qualify for the maximum level of benefits this month after the state received $232 million in federal funding, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday said. 

Households that receive support from the program, known as SNAP, outside New York City will see the additional benefits posted by Friday. Households in New York City will see benefits posted by next Friday, April 29. 

The additional money was spurred by the financial hardship and disruption created by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years. 

"The heart-wrenching prospect of food insecurity is one that no New Yorker should ever have to face," Governor Hochul said. "By providing the maximum level of food benefits to those in need, we can help struggling households make ends meet and keep food on the table as we continue our economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis."

Households at or near the maximum level for benefits, $835 for a household of four people, will see an additional minimum payment of $95, the governor's office said. Since January, $696 million in supplemental benefits have been distributed.

The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance in April 2020 began to issue emergency supplemental benefits to SNAP households that do not receive the maximum monthly benefit. When the state's emergency declaration ended in June 2021, state officials were able to secure the maximum allotment for SNAP households until the federal disaster declaration expires. 

"These supplemental benefits have played a tremendous role in helping New Yorkers avoid the food insecurity exacerbated by the global pandemic," said agency Commissioner Daniel Tietz. "In addition to assisting households in need, this funding is providing a welcome boost for local retailers and giving strength to our state's economy as a whole."