NEW CASTLE — The Delaware Division of Social Services will issue emergency benefits Thursday to eligible households as part of the state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Benefits will be issued as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and two cash assistance programs — Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and General Assistance. SNAP emergency food benefits will be available on recipients’ Electronic Benefit Transfer cards on Thursday. Eligible temporary and general assistance households will receive an emergency cash benefit check on or after Thursday.

All households with open SNAP cases will receive at least $95 in emergency food benefits, to be issued as follows:

• SNAP households receiving the maximum food benefit amount for their household size or a prorated initial benefit will receive $95 in emergency food benefits.

• SNAP households with a calculated emergency food benefit amount less than $95 will have their emergency benefit increased to $95.

• SNAP households with a calculated emergency benefit amount of $95 or more will continue to receive the calculated emergency benefit amount to increase the household’s monthly benefit up to the maximum benefit amount for their household size.

The emergency assistance for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and General Assistance families will increase a household’s monthly benefit for each program up to the maximum benefit amount for their household size.

Households that already receive the maximum temporary or general assistance benefit amount or that have a prorated benefit in the month of April are not eligible for the April emergency cash funds.

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services has issued emergency benefits each month to eligible households since March 2020.

“As our state continues to recover from the pandemic, we know the recovery has not been the same for every Delaware family,” said DHSS Secretary Molly Magarik.

“These emergency benefits are critical for families who recently lost work time to positive cases of COVID-19 or the flu, both of which are on the increase in our state. Still, we understand that as the recovery continues, the need for these emergency benefits will end, and we are preparing Delawareans for that eventuality.”

An estimated 57,093 Delaware households will receive the emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program allotment in April, totaling about $11.2 million in emergency food benefits for the month.

An estimated 180 households will be eligible to receive emergency cash assistance benefits in April, totaling about $26,900 in emergency benefits for the month.

In addition to the emergency benefits, households will receive their regular benefits for April on the usual issuance dates.

For more information about benefit programs in response to the pandemic, go to dhss.delaware.org. To screen for and apply for benefits, go to the DHSS online application portal Delaware ASSIST or call 1-866-843-7212.