ndiana agency is expected to distribute partial SNAP food assistance benefits on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Photo from Getty Images.

By Tom Davies
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANAPOLIS — Low-income Hoosier families are expected to have access Tuesday, Nov. 4 to partial benefits from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, federal food aid program.

The Indiana governor’s office made the announcement Monday, Nov. 10 even as the Trump administration was fighting court orders to restore full SNAP funding and Congress worked toward a deal for ending the federal government shutdown, including fully funding the food aid benefits.

Gov. Mike Braun’s office said SNAP benefits for November should be available on EBT, or Electronic Benefits Transfer, cards on Tuesday, Nov. 11.

The state will be able to “move quickly to deliver full benefits to qualifying households across Indiana as soon as possible” once a new federal spending deal is approved, the governor’s office said.

“After weeks of gridlock, it’s good to see some folks in D.C. finally come to their senses,” Braun said in a statement.

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration said last week that it was recalculating benefit allotments to 274,000 SNAP households in the state. Benefit changes made by federal officials for SNAP, will reduce the maximum amount to a household by at least 50%.

The calculation of a household’s partial SNAP benefit for November involved subtracting 30% of a household’s monthly net income – after allowable deductions – from the maximum allotment, according to the FSSA. That process could lead to some households not receiving any November benefits.