Single Father’s SNAP Benefits Dilemma: From $177 to Nothing After Child Moves Out
Online Benefits Calculator Reveals Counterintuitive SNAP Allocation for Wentling’s Family
Michael Wentling, a single dad on disability in Cumberland County, faced a confusing situation with his SNAP benefits. When one of his three children moved out, leaving him with a household of three instead of four, his benefits dropped steeply from $177 to nothing. This puzzled him because when he checked an online benefits calculator, he discovered that a family of two with his income and expenses would actually receive $23 monthly, while a family of three like his would get nothing.
Wentling reached out to abc27 News to shed light on his situation, suspecting that other families might be facing similar issues. However, despite their efforts to contact Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS) for clarification, they received no response. They also reached out to SNAP Screener, an online benefits calculator, which confirmed the possibility of a three-person household receiving less than a two-person household due to specific eligibility rules.
Pennsylvania’s SNAP Benefits – Why Larger Families Receive More Assistance?(PHOTO: ABC News)
Pennsylvania’s SNAP Quirk: Household Size Affects Benefits Regardless of Income and Expenses
This revelation highlighted a unique quirk in Pennsylvania’s SNAP eligibility system, where households of certain sizes may receive less assistance despite meeting income requirements. While Pennsylvania has relatively generous SNAP eligibility compared to other states, this discrepancy leaves some families, like Wentling’s, receiving even less support than smaller households with the same income and expenses.
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