Supplemental Emergency food and nutrition benefits tied to the COVID-19 pandemic are going away this week.
Families had been getting at least $95 dollars extra per month since March of 2020. As the COVID-19 public health emergency declarations go away, so do the extra federal benefits.
Jessica Slider Whichard is the head of public policy for The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. She says extra money to support free and reduced lunch programs are also winding down.
"At the same time that's happening, to have these extra funds going away, I think we're going to see a big challenge for a lot of families," she said.
Benefits will go back to pre-pandemic levels of about $5.45 per person, per day on average.