Extra food support ends for millions of low-income U.S. taxpayers

March 1 (UPI) -- March 1 marks the end of maxed-out assistance programs that helped more than 30 million people get by during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advocates said the change will likely deal a major blow to low-income U.S. households struggling under inflationary strains.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, included emergency allotments under provisions enacted in March 2020, just as the spread of COVID-19 was entering the pandemic stage.

Those emergency allotments ended on Wednesday. The U.S. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates the average individual recipient will see SNAP support decline by $90 a month and as much as $250 in some cases.

Ellen Vollinger, the SNAP director for the advocacy group Food Research and Action Center, told The Hill earlier this week that reductions will create obvious problems for low-income taxpayers.

"It's just not enough," she said.

Retirees drawing on Social Security are also at risk, with the AARP estimating that at least 8.7 million households receiving SNAP payouts included at least one person age 50 or older.

"The decrease in benefits will combine with the meteoric rise in food prices and will further exacerbate the challenges millions are facing to consistently access the food they need for a healthy, active life -- the definition of food security," said Nicole Heckman, AARP Foundation vice president for benefits access programs.

While lower than last summer, inflationary pressures remain entrenched in the U.S. economy. The Consumer Price Index increased 0.5% in January after increasing by just 0.1% month-on-month to December.

For just food, however, inflation is sharply higher than that. Federal data from earlier this month showed grocery prices are up 11.3% over the 12-month period to January.

Working to control consumer-level inflation, the U.S. Federal Reserve is increasing its lending rates in an effort to slow consumer demand. Overall economic challenges may be exacerbated by the end of supplementary food support.

Leslie Gordon, the president and CEO of Food Bank for New York City, told CBS News she was expecting a flood of new arrivals.

"We anticipate a really significant uptick in the number of people who are going to visit us in the coming weeks," she said.