Mobile App will Soon be Available for New Jersey’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

With more New Jersey residents needing food assistance now than they have in recent years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bill sponsored by Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin, Assemblyman John Armato and Assemblyman Anthony Verrelli to make it easier for recipients to navigate the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was signed into law Thursday.

SNAP provides food assistance to families with limited income so that they may buy groceries with their benefits. The law (formerly bill A-5880) directs the Department of Human Services (DHS) to develop a mobile-friendly software application to make it easier for SNAP recipients to access and manage relevant information/documents.

“Fighting for food security in New Jersey continues to be one of my biggest priorities. That objective unchanged, it is now more important than ever to help countless struggling families put healthy, nutritious food on the table,” said Speaker Coughlin (D-Middlesex). “By providing quicker access to SNAP benefits through mobile-friendly software, this law is one way we are strengthening our state’s anti-hunger programs for residents in need.”

With well over 1.8 million workers having filed for unemployment benefits in New Jersey last year, many families also experienced food insecurity for the first time as a result of the public health emergency. The number of residents receiving SNAP benefits increased by 23 percent over the past year, with at least 154,000 additional people signing up for the program since February 2020.

“Programs such as SNAP provide invaluable assistance to families who would otherwise have to wonder where their next meal will come from,” said Assemblyman Armato (D-Atlantic). “Modernizing access by providing mobile-friendly software will make it easier for New Jerseyans to view their SNAP case status, view their current benefits, request a replacement card, submit necessary documents, and more. A system that is easier to navigate is one that can ultimately help more residents.”

The law appropriates $2 million to the Department of Human Services for the development and maintenance of the mobile-friendly software.

“SNAP is an important program that provides food support to more than 800,000 New Jersey residents,” said Assemblyman Verrelli (D-Mercer, Hunterdon). “Finding ways to make it simpler for residents to navigate this system will help ensure more families receive the critical assistance they need.”

The law is part of a larger package of bills signed into law Thursday that aim to address food insecurity in New Jersey.

This content, and any other content on TLS, may not be republished or reproduced without prior permission from TLS. Copying or reproducing our content is both against the law and against Halacha. To inquire about using our content, including videos or photos, email us at [email protected].

Stay up to date with our news alerts by following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

**Click here to join over 20,000 receiving our Whatsapp Status updates!**

**Click here to join the official TLS WhatsApp Community!**

Got a news tip? Email us at [email protected], Text 415-857-2667, or WhatsApp 609-661-8668.