Another pandemic relief policy is ending, making groceries even more expensive for low-income Oklahomans

During the pandemic, the federal government started giving extra help to families who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — often called SNAP or food stamps. Officials were trying to make sure families could still put food on the table during the sudden economic downturn. But when Congress passed its big omnibus bill in December, they nixed the extra help, putting a sudden expiration date on three years of emergency payments. The roughly 700,000 Oklahomans who have benefitted from SNAP monthly are set to see a big decrease in their food aid.