CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) announced Wednesday that over 360,000 Ohio families have begun receiving partial November SNAP benefits.

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According to a release, on partial Wednesday morning, the ODJFS had processed $66.8 million in patial SNAP benefits for about 364,000 Ohio households, just over half of the 716,000 households that are set to receive SNAP benefits for November.

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Benefits are being issued in batches due to the large number of recipients. So, all Ohio SNAP recipients who remain eligible will have their benefits issued within the next few days.

“Based on the latest guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, ODJFS made the necessary system changes this week to begin issuing benefits. The federal guidance instructs ODJFS to reduce the maximum amount each household can receive in November by 35% and to recalculate each household’s payment based on that new maximum amount. It is a two-step process, first requiring ODJFS to calculate the new payment amount, then transmitting those amounts for each household to its Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) vendor to issue to recipients through their Ohio Direction (EBT) card.”

SNAP recipients are encouraged to check their balances through their Connect EBT app or Ohio Benefits Self Service Portal.

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ODJFS said it will not know the total amount of partial November benefits until all benefits are processed. The exact amount each household will receive is based on factors such as gross and net income and allowable deductions, such as housing and medical costs.

“Under the revised federal calculations, nearly all recipients will receive less than 65% of their normal benefit. Some recipients, particularly those whose earnings place the household near the cutoff for eligibility, may receive no benefits this week under the revised calculation. An official notice explaining each household’s specific benefit change will be issued,” the release said.

ODJFS said that before the government shutdown, about 1.4 million Ohioans received $264 million in food benefits from SNAP each month. Once the government shutdown ends, additional guidance will determine how to handle the difference between what would normally be issued and what is being issued this week.

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