![]() ![]() While Washington has gone to food banks and tried to use other resources to keep her family fed, the food she receives often isn't sufficient for her twins, who both have gluten and soy allergies. Washington works in accounting and her husband is a behavioral therapist who works with children who have autism. "I don't want to say it's life-changing, but it is kind of life-changing," Washington said. But she hopes they'll qualify under the new threshold. Jennifer Washington, a mother of three who lives in Hutto, was previously denied SNAP benefits because the values of her family's vehicles - a 2014 Nissan Titan and a 2018 Mazda CX-5 - were over the current limit. But we have a lot of work to do to be able to take care of these children." Hope and criticism And I think every win is a win, whether it's small or big. Still, Texas is one of only 10 states that still has a vehicle asset test to qualify for SNAP.Ĭelia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, is pleased to see the bill pass but also wishes Texas would do away with considering vehicle values altogether. HB 1287 was a one-time adjustment due to the rise in car prices and food costs from recent and persistent inflation. But some of those families will qualify in September if their primary vehicle is valued under $22,500 and any additional vehicles are valued under $8,700. I had no beds, no clothes, I had to run out and get two car seats."Īccording to Feeding Texas, a nonprofit food bank network that lobbied for HB 1287, more than 54,000 Texas SNAP applicants were rejected in 2022 due to the value of their vehicles. "I was denied because my car was over the income limit. "When I got my five grandkids, I went to apply for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families," Bristol said. The current SNAP policy in Texas - which was set in 2001 - disqualified applicants whose primary vehicle was valued at $15,000 or more and had additional vehicles valued at $4,650 or more. ![]() Texas looks at a household's income but also factors in the value of a household's cars, known as the vehicle asset test. Bristol and TXGRG, which helps other grandparents tasked with raising their grandkids, spent months trying to get House Bill 1287 passed in this year's regular legislative session.Īlthough SNAP is a federal program that allows families access to food stamps, each state can set different requirements for eligibility. Greg Abbott signed into law a bill that will enable thousands more Texans to qualify for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that provides financial assistance, commonly referred to as food stamps. She was tending both to her work as head of the nonprofit Texas Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and getting her youngest grandson Paul Chavez ready for a mariachi concert in the afternoon.īristol also had reason to celebrate the end of the work week: Days earlier, Gov. The video above is an ABC13 report about how the end of extra SNAP benefits could be the most detrimental to Black families. Mercedes Bristol spent a recent Friday morning in her suburban San Antonio home sending emails, combing hair, answering calls and doing laundry for her grandson. ![]()
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