Josh Shapiro, Governor | Pennsylvania Government
The Shapiro Administration has visited Philadelphia Works to inform the public about changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) due to a recent Republican budget bill. The new federal work and reporting requirements for SNAP recipients began on September 1.
Dr. Val Arkoosh, Secretary of the Department of Human Services (DHS), explained how these changes affect Pennsylvanians who rely on SNAP benefits. She stated, "Nearly two million Pennsylvanians receive life-sustaining food benefits from SNAP every month. It is this extra bit of help putting food on their tables that enables people to go to school, work, and live healthy lives with the dignity we all deserve." Dr. Arkoosh added, "Our team at DHS is focused on helping Pennsylvanians navigate these federal changes through new resources like a dedicated website, partnerships with community organizations that will help connect SNAP recipients to work and volunteer opportunities, and simplifying processes to make reporting as easy as possible for those affected by these federal requirements. By working together, we are committed to ensuring that Pennsylvanians who need and qualify for SNAP keep those benefits so that they can feed themselves and their families."
Officials emphasized that about 144,000 people in Pennsylvania could be at risk of losing their SNAP benefits if they do not comply with the updated rules.
Speakers at the event included Patrick Clancy, President and CEO of Philadelphia Works; Dr. Val Arkoosh; and Representative Ben Waxman.
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